On My Own
by AriesBalorPrincess
Summary: AU story. Onyx grew up as an only child. The truth about her mom's past comes to light revealing that she has a brother out there, a brother that wants to meet her. As crazy as the scheme is, she goes along with pretending to be her blind dates fiancée for the holiday season. Her feelings start to grow and the lie she told blurs into her personal life. (Clint/OC)
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello everyone. This is a little something that begged me to write it for the Holiday season. Please do enjoy this. And there will be a second part to this, as I am not that mean in leaving it off where I did. The next part will revolve around New Years, I am aiming to have it posted before New Years gets here.**_

 ** _Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays._**

 ** _Disclaimer: Glee doesn't belong to me. However, Harlow and Onyx belong to me, and they can't be used without my permission. Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita who has given me permission to use her. Please do talk to her if you want to use Mikki._**

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Looking at the scenery passing her by in the small town, she questioned herself on why she was going along with this plan for the hundredth time in the last five days. She had plenty of time to back out of this deal they had made. It wasn't as if she knew the guy. She went out with him on a blind date once, when he told her about the plans, he had to cancel on in coming home for the holidays because his fiancée called off the wedding that would be taking place in four months time. As the poor sap and romantic she is at heart she agreed only after she made him agree to go with her to meet her long-lost brother, that recently got a hold of her after spending the better part of the last year trying to track her down. She knew of this brother, just six months prior when her dad told her the whole story about her mom having an affair with a married man for the better part of a year, before she found the courage to walk away knowing he would always pick his family over her. It wasn't until two months later when her mom found out that she was with child, creating the best life possible for Onyx.

It was news she didn't take happily, because to her no one other than the man who raised her from when she was a little baby, would ever be her father. He is the only father she needs in her life. So she didn't go looking for this family she had out there, didn't want to know them. Curiosity got the better of her when her brother reached out to her via a lawyer. He wanted nothing from her other than to know who she is. And with no other family, her mother having passed away a few years ago and losing her father a week after learning of this new development in her life, she kept the promise she made to her father, on finding them and taking a chance on getting to know them, in any way that she could.

The final straw on why she agreed to do this, is because they were heading to not only the same state, but the same city in Texas. It might have been nice to start her relationship with her brother and his family with the truth instead of a lie, but it wasn't as if she couldn't set the truth straight at a later date in time.

"Whose house is this again?" She asked, looking at the white two-story house decked out with Christmas decorations, lights hung up all over the house and a beautiful wreath sitting in the middle of the red house door.

"This place belongs to Seb," he informed her, getting out of the car. She followed suit, walking to the front door of the house, her fake partner, for the time being, knocking on the door instead of ringing the doorbell in case a child was asleep. He didn't want to be responsible for waking the child up.

"Clint, hi," a pretty brunette answered the door, ushering them inside the house. "I'm Harlow; you must be Clint's fiancée," she commented turning her intense gaze upon her.

"That's me," she smiled, looking back and forth between Clint and Harlow. "I'm Onyx and it is wonderful to finally meet you," she smiled, holding her hand out for her to shake. Clint filled her in on the plane ride from Philly to San Antonio.

"He's told us very little of you," she retorted, looking at Clint, pulling Onyx in for a hug.

"That is something we can remedy now," Clint said, pulling Onyx from the tight hug Harlow had her in.

"Yes, we can," Harlow smirked, pulling Onyx with her to the living room where a group of people sat. She smiled shyly looking at all of them. "Look who has finally decided to grace us with their presence," Harlow stated getting the attention of everyone in the room.

"Guys, this is my fiancée Onyx," Clint said, bringing Onyx to him, keeping his arm around her tight.

Clint took her around the room to introduce her to everyone in the room, the longer she was there the more comfortable she became around everyone in the room. She didn't feel like an outsider among them. She felt horrible for lying to them about who she was to Clint, because this time next year when he comes home, she won't be with him.

"Clint has told us next to nothing about you," Matt commented, once they were seated comfortably with drinks.

"What would you like to know?" She asked with a smile, seeking out Clint's hand. She would answer the questions about her as truthful as she could be without giving anything away about this being a sham for the benefit of Clint.

"Most everything," Matt laughed.

"Most importantly, how did the two of you meet?" Rachel asked. "Clint has never kept a girl secret from me," she tossed in as a comment.

"Blind date," she answered, looking to Clint with a smile on her face. That part she could keep as the truth. "A friend of mine wouldn't stop talking about how such a great guy Clint is. It took sometime for me to actually agree to going on the date, as I am not a fan of being set up by anyone. But ya know here we are, so you could say that we hit it off," she laughed.

"Maybe I should come clean about that," Clint said gaining the attention of everyone in the house.

"About what?" Onyx asked, staying calm even though she was completely freaking out on the inside on what he planned on saying. It wasn't as if she could run from these people if he did tell them the truth.

"You remember that horrible party Jesse threw a month before our blind date?" He asked; she nodded because said party was only last month. "The douche that spilled whiskey all over your white dress, was me," he told her.

"What?" She questioned, looking for any signs that it was him that had done it. It was a masquerade party, and her mask came off the second said douche dumped his drink all over the front of her dress effectively ruining it. "How did I not know this?"

"Mask," he laughed. "And when I went to look for you to apologize you had already left. I begged Jesse to set the date up as a way to say sorry," he explained.

"Other than now were you ever going to tell me?" She questioned.

"It is in the vows," he smirked. She rolled her eyes at that.

"I didn't think one blind date would end up with me being engaged," she laughed. When did her life become a Hallmark movie? "Not that I can complain at all," she smiled lovingly at Clint.

"Who's complaining about what?" Seb questioned walking into the house. "Onyx, what are you doing here?" He asked looking at the woman on the couch cozied up to Clint.

"Onyx?" A blond guy questioned stepping into the room, placing his little girl on the floor to play.

"Onyx happens to be my fiancée. I didn't know you three knew each other," Clint commented, confused as the rest of them.

"It's complicated, and it's the other reason why I am here," she told him, clueing him into who Jeff is to her without giving away anything else to the rest of them.

"Can we talk in private?" Jeff asked. Onyx nodded getting up, following him upstairs to what looked like a den. "I thought we were meeting tomorrow over coffee? How'd you know I would be here?"

"Coffee tomorrow still stands to have a bit more time with each other, and I didn't know you would be here. I didn't know his friend Jeff is you," she started to say. Jeff is a common name, and she never mentioned a last name to Clint, and he didn't offer a last name to any of the friends who were down stairs.

"Makes sense. I know over the last five months he had become more private and secretive with his life. I find it surreal that my sister is marrying my best friend," he sighed, shaking his head, seeing if that would clear up the fog in his head over this twisted little situation.

"Hallmark worthy, isn't it?" She teased. She didn't want to be lying to her long-lost brother about who Clint is to her. For his friends, they would be engaged, but for Jeff, they were only supposed to be friends as lying to him about this felt wrong. It still does feel wrong, she couldn't tell the truth and have him ruin it for Clint and embarrass him. It wasn't worth that.

"Ready made movie," he laughed. "I do want to be a part of your life and learn everything that I can about you and not because you're marrying a friend of mine, but because we're family," he told her.

"I know and I want to know you and your wife and your daughter," she told him. "But I can't meet the guy you grew up calling dad; to me, he isn't my father; I can't," she explained the best she could. "As much as I want to be a part of your family, Jeff, I need time to really think about this as I don't want anyone getting attached and things going sideways, and everyone getting hurt."

"I get it, maybe not fully, but he wasn't your father; he's just a faceless stranger to you," Jeff stated. "Take the time you need, Onyx. Just know nothing is going to go wrong," he assured her. She found it easy for him to say, but with what she was lying to him about, things could happen, and she would be at fault for them.

"Exactly," she nodded. "Anything else you want to ask before we rejoin the rest of them?"

"What I have to ask can wait, our waiting audience, they can't wait," he chuckled, letting her go first.

"They do seem like a nosey bunch," she joked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," he told her quietly, joining the chaos of the living room.

"What is it, you do, Onyx?" Matt questioned, playing cars with the little boy in his lap.

"Sports journalist," she replied, filling them in on what she got to do for her job. She has her own article in the paper not only in print but on the website as well. That she does get to travel for certain sporting events.

"Sports, huh?" Matt questioned. "Favorite teams?"

"It's not who you are thinking. I am really not supposed to have favorites, as it creates bias articles, so I have to stay professional at all times while writing," she told them. "I do, however, cheer on every Minnesota team, as that is where I was born and raised, she confessed. "As many disappointments, they keep tossing my way I stay loyal," she shrugged. "Though I do have to say I am a fan of the LA Kings, as I did live in Los Angeles for two years after graduating college. My first job was for them, writing this little blog, before getting a job in Philly, which later evolved into a daily column."

"Siblings?" Harlow asked. "Next year, it would be nice to have them around."

"Only child," she answered, feeling really guilty about so much, casting a look at Jeff. She didn't know these people, and she didn't want her personal life aired for them to know.

"Oh," Harlow said feeling uncomfortable for suggesting that.

"Harls, it's okay. Who knows maybe next year, there will be another one to join us," Clint said, talking more about Jeff and his family now that he knew who Jeff truly is to Onyx. Something he didn't know anything about, as he had no clue that Jeff had a sister out there.

"You guys are expecting?" Harlow questioned getting excited. "How amazing is that?"

"Oh, no. No," Onyx said shaking her head. "Not pregnant," she said, feeling bad at the deflated face of Harlow. "But maybe next year, it is twelve months away," she tacked on, sharing a look with Clint.

The longer she stayed around his group of friends and his sister, the bigger the hole she dug for herself grew. Not only because of the lies that kept piling up for her, but her feelings toward her fake fiancée. Right from the start of their blind date she was attracted to him. He came off sweet and caring. She liked that he could be serious one second and joke around the next. He is a great guy.

As great as he is, she couldn't let herself fall for him anymore than she already has. She is not going to fall for a guy who sees her as nothing more than an excuse for his friends and family. She did hear enough about him to know that he isn't the kind of guy to settle down. At almost 30 years of age, she was more than willing to settle down and have a family. She couldn't say the same for him.

With her growing feelings for a guy whom she shouldn't have, for a guy whom she couldn't get involved with. On top of that the fact her brother was sitting there, she couldn't take it anymore, getting up needing to be alone. She found herself outside in the big backyard, sitting in one of the chairs around a beautiful brick fire pit. She pulled her phone out, finding a way to distract her from her own thoughts about everything going on; she didn't want to think about any of it.

"What's the real deal with you, Clint and Jeff?" A petite brunette questioned, joining her outside. One she learned is Mikki Smythe, married to Sebastian for the past three years, owner of the home she is in. They also had a little boy who is turning 5 in two months and a little girl who is nine months old.

"How long did you and Sebastian date before knowing he was it?" Onyx asked, taking the heat off of her for the time being. She didn't think Mikki would let it slide for too long.

"He wasn't supposed to be anything serious. We had just gotten out of some serious relationships, and we wanted to have fun for a while. At first, it was fun a year into having fun; Bentley was born, and we had to step up and be parents. We did the co-parent thing for a year and half and in that time, we saw layers to each other we didn't know existed. We started to date and two years of dating and being parents it felt right to get married, because we loved each other, and I can't imagine my life without Seb in it or even our family," she smiled, giving her the short version of her life history with her husband.

"In many ways that is a really cute story," Onyx smiled. "Did you want kids?" Onyx inquired.

"Always," Mikki smiled, thinking about the love she has for her son and daughter. "They each came on their own, as they weren't planned, but they were welcomed. Do you want kids?" Mikki asked.

"More than anything," Onyx smiled. "I just don't know if Clint is the type of guy to be fully happy with kids," she commented. In the few days, they had to plan for this trip and what they would say, the topic of kids never came up as it wasn't something that they needed to be talking about. Who in their right mind would add a fake baby to a ruse?

"He can surprise you," Mikki told her. "You're not having second thoughts about Clint because there is something with Jeff are you?" Mikki asked. She wouldn't let anyone walk in and ruin what Jeff has created for himself and his family.

"It's nothing like that, I promise," Onyx told her. "I am having second thoughts about Clint, but that is on me and some newly discovered family matters and nothing to do with an affair. Personally, I can't stand a cheater," she stated, thinking back to her own past with the two cheating scum bags she had in her past.

"Then you should talk to Clint about those thoughts. As I have known him, for as long as I have known the rest of the people in there, and I won't let you hurt him in any fashion," Mikki stated getting up.

"I'm not used to having such beautiful weather for Christmas. I grew up with white Christmases, the only time I didn't have one was when I was living in L.A. In many ways it just doesn't feel like Christmas without the snow," she commented, making Mikki stop in her tracks.

"I dreaded my first Christmas away from Vermont. It isn't the same without the snow. Seb he was the one to give me snow that year," she smiled.

"You've known him a while now?" Onyx asked.

"Since I was 18. We hung out in the same group of friends in college. We got along, and we couldn't get back home for the holidays, so we had one together, and he made it snow," she elaborated a bit more.

"That was sweet of him," Onyx smiled.

"Guys can surprise you, even Clint," Mikki stated, walking back to the house.

"You doing okay?" She looked up at the male voice to see Jeff standing there. She nodded.

"Other than how crazy everything is and that Mikki assumes I am having an affair with you; things are good," she told him with a small laugh. "I don't want your friends to think there is something like that going on between us," she told him.

"I don't either," he told her. "No one in there, other than I am assuming Clint and Seb as he is my lawyer and friend, know about it."

"You didn't tell your wife?" Onyx questioned, looking at Jeff, who sighed and sat down in the same chair Mikki had sat in.

"I didn't know how the story would end. My hopes were up enough on my own accord, I didn't want to get anyone else's hopes up or have them worry what bringing you into my life meant. As it was all this one big ball of uncertainty," he told her.

"I get it," she told him. "When I was told, I didn't even want anything to do with you. I know it sounds mean to say as I truly believe that you are this good guy, but believing that I had this family out there, it was something I didn't want to believe was true, as it meant my life had been this lie," she explained.

"What made you change your mind?" Jeff asked her.

"What made you seek me out?" Onyx asked him instead.

"The unknown," he answered. "I tried for a week not to worry about this sister I had out there. The longer I tried not to think about it, or let it get to me, the more questions I had. The further it stressed me out, the longer I couldn't sleep. So I talked to Seb about it, and he helped me out in tracking you down. With what information we could get about you with it being public knowledge, I couldn't walk away; I had to meet you, to see for myself that you were okay, that maybe you didn't need me in your life, and I could walk away," he told her, shaking his head. "When we reached out to you, and you responded in kind; it hit me then that I couldn't just walk away from you, unless that is something that you want me to do. I was forced to miss out on your life; I don't want to miss anymore, if I am given that choice. I want you to be a part of my life and your niece and nephews lives."

"Nephews?" She questioned. "That mean you and your wife are having twin boys?" She asked. Sugar she learned was the name of her brother's wife, who couldn't make it as, she is weeks from her due date, and she just wanted to stay at home in bed, relaxing, telling Jeff that he should go. He only lived 5 minutes away.

"We are having boys. Please don't tell anyone, as we're not telling people until they are born. But man does it feel good to tell someone," he smiled. Onyx smiled, happy for Jeff.

"Why don't we instead of meeting up for coffee, I come to you and meet your wife. And do tell her that you have a sister. I can't see myself walking away from your life Jeff," she smiled, making the first decision of the mess her life has created for her.

"I would like that," he smiled. "Clint huh?" He asked pulling a laugh from the both of them.

"It's not like I knew," she told him. "Though I am not sorry about it," she stated.

"Me either," Jeff agreed, happy for both his friend and his sister that they had found each other. For Onyx, she did hope it could stay that way after they went back to Philly and not creating a bigger mess for anyone involved in this little scam of a fake engagement.

"Would you two get your asses in here; some of us would like to eat," Clint yelled from the door.

"Why don't you watch the words you say," Jeff called back. "My daughter is impressionable," he tacked on.

"Then get your behinds in the house, so we can eat," he laughed, letting Jeff pass him, stopping Onyx. "Everything okay?" He asked her. She nodded her head.

"It is," she smiled, kissing his cheek. "Let's eat," she told him, walking to the kitchen. "Should we tell them?" Onyx asked looking at Jeff, who sat across from her at the table.

"Tell us what?" Matt asked, sitting next to his wife.

"Jeffery, so help me that you are having an affair, I will end you, for hurting one of my good friends," Mikki threatened.

"I told you," Onyx laughed, looking at Jeff, lacing her hand with Clint's under the table in his lap.

"Mikki, I promise you it isn't anything like that," Jeff told her an amused smile on his face.

"Then what is it?" Harlow questioned.

"For the past year, I have been searching for someone. I found some old photos of a baby girl. It didn't make sense to me as it was just me growing up. I questioned my dad about it. He told me the story about having a sister out there. With the help of Seb, we were able to track her down. I wanted to know who my sister was, who she is," Jeff told the table of his friends.

"The last thing my dad told me before he passed away was that I had a brother out there. He gave me everything I needed to know on where I could find him. I didn't do that, because I couldn't bring myself to look for this family, I knew nothing about. It took a promise I made to my dad, and a very marvelous lawyer to convince me that it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. So I agreed to fly out here to Texas to meet my brother," Onyx explained her side of the story.

"What we didn't know was that Clint would bring us together sooner than we had planned on meeting up for the first time," Jeff laughed. "You always knew how to ruin everything," he joked, turning his attention to his oldest friend.

"I brought you two together for a Christmas miracle," Clint retorted with a smile.

"A Christmas miracle, in fact," Onyx said.

"Auntie Onny?" Ember questioned, from her highchair by her dad, looking at Onyx.

"Auntie Onny, peanut," Onyx told her niece lighting the little girls face up. She is determined to find a way to spend as much time as she could with her new-found family, while living states away in Philly.

"Have anything to say, dear?" Seb asked with a smirk, looking to his wife.

"Nope, how was I supposed to know that they were long lost siblings? My mind jumped to the one conclusion that made the most sense. I am not sorry about that," she retorted. "I am happy that you guys found each other," she told them with a smile.

"Onyx, I suggest that you run away from the likes of your brother," Matt laughed.

"I could say the same thing about my brother," Rachel told Onyx. "He can be a straight-up jerk."

"I learned that when he spilled his whiskey all over my white dress," she laughed.

"I did that so I could learn to see who I needed to beg Jesse to hook me up with on a date," Clint retorted, bringing their joined hands up to kiss the back of her hand.

"It might have been the best thing you have ever done," she teased, ignoring the fluttering feeling in her stomach.

"Did you take a look at my vows?" He teased.

"Maybe you shouldn't leave them laying around," she teased, finding it easy to joke around with him, finding it less guilty to be lying to her family and his friends. Because perchance once they get back home to Philly, things can work out with them, if they tried.

"Laying around?" He asked with a snicker. "How is them being tucked safely inside my nightstand drawer laying around, babe?" He questioned her.

"It just is," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Yep, she is going to fit in just fine with everyone," commented Matt.


	2. Chapter 2

_**After some thinking about this story, it's going to be a few chapters long. I'm not entirely sure on how many chapters as of yet. But, I cannot fit everything that I want to fit into this story in just two chapters. Therefore this chapter has nothing to do with New Year and I don't know when they chapter will be posted. Enjoy.**_

 _ **Once again, Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita, and she can't be used without her permission.**_

 _ **Happy New Year everyone. Have fun with whatever your plans may be. Stay safe.**_

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Spending time with Jeff and his family had been a blast. So much so that she didn't want to leave. She really found a new friend in Sugar. She didn't hate to admit that she did see Jeff as a brother figure for her. He did fill the void of always wanting to have a sibling. She just adored her little niece, spending time with her, reminded her how much she really wanted to have kids.

"You still with me?" She heard Clint ask. She slowly nodded, turning her attention from the car window to him.

"I think so," she sighed. "These last two days didn't go the way I thought they would, ya know?" She questioned, turning the ring on her finger, the ring they were using to fool his friends and her family. A lie she wasn't entirely okay with, but one she was slowly growing to be comfortable with. "Now that I have met them, I'm not ready to go back home where I... Where it doesn't feel so much like home but rather a place to live," she sighed, doing a horrible job in explaining to him how Jeff's home felt more like a home than her apartment ever had. "You know what? Never mind," she told him, going back to gaze out the car window.

"I get it," he told her, gazing at her at a stop light. "That feeling you have, I have it every time that I visit them, and I return home. I see the lives they have created for themselves, and I am not anywhere near there. I thought I was, until she left me," he was in the middle of explaining.

"Hence the ruse," she smiled sadly at him.

"Yep," he commented, nodding his head. "They make it seem so effortless in having it all. And I've done nothing but struggle to have half of what they have."

"I was more than happy with the way I live my life, not wanting more. I have some really great friends, and a life I have created for myself. I loved my life. And one visit to your friends and as it turns out my brother, my life seems like nothing since I don't have anyone to share it with," she sighed.

"You'll bounce back," he told her, driving forward now that light turned green. "I always do."

"I don't know if it is that easy," she sighed once more. It would be hard to bounce back from it when she would be sharing her life with Jeff, and his family states away. Not to mention that she would have to explain things when they called off an already canceled wedding.

"From everything that I have learned about you over the past two days, is that you Onyx are a very strong woman."

"Sometimes I have to wonder about that," she commented, happy to see the hotel they were staying at. They had decided that it would be too weird to stay at any of his friend's houses, and she wasn't ready to spend nights at her brother's house. A hotel is the only logical place for them to stay, his friends thinking it's for other reasons.

"Never wonder, Onyx, because you are a strong person," he assured her, parking the car. "Meet up for breakfast, before deciding what we want to do?"

"I'll be waiting in the lobby at 8," she told him, climbing out of the car.

Her hotel room was right across from Clint's room. She had offered to pay for her own room, knowing the bill wasn't going to be cheap by any means by the time they left, but he wouldn't let her pay a cent, since he had been the one to drag her into staying there for as long as they would be staying. Her plan had been staying for a day or two, long enough to meet Jeff, and she would be flying back home. After her blind date with Clint, things took a different direction.

They parted ways, saying night, before they slipped into their separate rooms for the night. She frowned seeing the light by the bed in the room on. She hadn't even used the lights when she left the room that morning to meet up with Jeff. The black suitcase stood out next to her red ones. The bathroom was empty, and that was the only place they could be hiding. She moved to sit on her bed, trying to figure out who was in her room. She thought about calling or even walking to the front desk, but before she could, the door bursts open.

"Honey, I'm home," he called into the room. She laughed seeing his mop of brown curls.

"Blaine, what are you doing here?" She asked, standing up to hug her longtime best friend.

Their friendship was a different one of sorts. Where she grew up in the Twin Cities, he grew up in Southern California. They met when they were 10 at a camp in Montana. After that summer, they became pen pals staying in contact with each other. As they got older the easier, it was to stay in contact with each other, from emails to phone calls and texts. While she headed to LA to college, he headed to Michigan. By chance, they ended up in Philly at the same time. Blaine was itching to move elsewhere, the only thing keeping him where he is at is Onyx. As he couldn't go live somewhere else and not have her in his daily life.

"Christmas sucked without you there. I grew tired of listening to my brother, so I bailed sooner than I should have, and instead of flying home, I flew here. It was a lot easier getting your personal information for what hotel and room you would be in then I thought it would," he teased, breaking the hug.

"No it wasn't," she laughed. "You asked point blank threatening me if I didn't tell you. If I knew you were going to use that information to barge into my life here, I wouldn't have told you, under any circumstances," she stated, moving to make herself comfortable on the queen-sized bed. "How long are you staying for?"

"How long are you staying?" He countered with, jumping into the bed next to her. "I'm here until after New Years. I can't ring in the new year without my best girl," he smirked, grabbing the remote that lay on the nightstand next to him, turning the TV on.

"Blaine if you're going to be here you can't say anything about Clint and I," she told him. She wouldn't let him ruin it for her. Of course, she had told him about the little ruse she would be doing with Clint.

"Oh no, I wouldn't dream of doing that," he smirked. "I want a front-row seat to it all. How did things go with your brother?" Blaine inquired.

"Better than I thought. Coming here I thought I would be able to meet him and walk away, knowing that I met him, and that I wouldn't want anything else to do with him. I was dead wrong," she told him with a bright smile. "He's great and it makes me wish I would have grown up with him. His wife is great; I adore his little girl; he's having twins in a few weeks. I can't walk away from them. It's hard enough going back to Philly after the New Year," she sighed.

"Why don't you move here?" He asked her. "We talked about it before. You can transfer as they have told you before."

"And you'd finally get to move out of the city you can no longer stand?" She asked him with a very knowing smile on her face. "I don't know if I can do that. It is something that I need to think about, and talk to my boss about before packing up and moving," she told him.

"It's not something that you have to agree upon right this second. Take a few weeks and think about it. Have a nice lengthy chat with lover boy across the hall, before deciding on too much," he teased, seeing her face blank at his words. "Uh oh," he smirked. "Is he not the guy you thought he was?" He asked, muting the TV.

"You could say that," she sighed. "He's the one that spilled his glass of whiskey all over my dress at Jesse's party."

"The guy you bitched about for like two weeks," Blaine laughed. "Did you lay into him for it?" She shook her head. It wouldn't have looked pretty if she had laid into him in front of his friends the whole lot of them. "And why not?"

"I didn't want to cause a scene, Blaine. I already feel bad for lying, I couldn't add more drama onto that. And he apologized for it. I'm over it," she shrugged.

"Oh no," he commented. "There is a lot more to this, then you are letting on. Have you fallen for him?" Blaine asked, knowing the answer when she remained quiet, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "March over there and tell him, Onyx," Blaine demanded, pointing to the door.

"I can't do that," she sighed. "I can't risk being wrong about him. I want kids, like next week if I could, I can't say the same for him. Being good around kids and having them are two very different things."

"Sweetie, you won't ever know if you don't go over there and talk to him."

"I will when we get back to Philly," she smiled, having it all planned out in her head. "Did I tell you that my brother Jeff is the same Jeff, who happens to be Clint's best friend?"

"You did not," he laughed. " _It's a small world after all_ ," he started to sing, getting backhanded to the chest.

"Talk about a wreck waiting to happen," she laughed digging into the story of how the night turned out for her with that one hiccup in it.

The last time she stayed up gossiping about her life and a friend's life was back in high school, college filled with more parties than innocent little sleepovers. By the time morning came she was rather tired and not up to move from her spot in the bed.

"Would you turn it off and get the hell up," Blaine muttered from where his head was under the pillow.

"Yes, your royal pain in the ass," she muttered, turning her alarm off. After laying in bed a few minutes she finally tossed the blankets off and went for a shower.

She had a lot to think about while in the shower, quick as it was, she couldn't help but think about the growing feelings she held for her fake fiancée. She went into this whole scheme not knowing how it would end for her. She was determined not to fall for Clint, barely knowing him. The more she learned and saw the more she started to care for him. The more her heart started to betray her, and he was craving his name right in the middle of her heart. She couldn't think of this thing she has with him ending in a way that would benefit her. Could it?

She cleared those thoughts from her mind, quickly washing the soap off, so she could get out and get ready for her day with Clint.

"About bloody time," Blaine stated, making a mad dash for the bathroom, the very second she stepped out of the bathroom to get her clothes.

"Ya jerk," she laughed hearing the shower turn on. She dried off getting dressed in the main part of the room now that Blaine was in the shower.

She just dumped her makeup on the desk in the room, when a knock rang out. "Hold on," she called walking to the door, taking a peep to see who was knocking on the door. "I thought we were meeting in the lobby in like a half hour?" She questioned opening the door for him.

"That was the plan," he shrugged, handing over a cup of coffee. "It's from the gas station; I figured it would be better than what they are serving here," he explained as if it was no big deal at all. To her, it was more than a small gesture.

"Thank you. I'll be just a minute," she told him, walking back to the desk to get her makeup done. "You're more than welcome to stay and wait," she offered.

"Who's in the shower?" He questioned, hearing the soft melody float through the door.

"Uh Blaine. He showed up at some point while we were out and sweet talked his way into my room," she explained. To her Blaine, showing up was nothing. Clint didn't see it that way.

"I can leave the two of you to it. Just try not to get caught and blow our cover," he told her, getting off the end of the bed. For Blaine to show up, to him that screamed more than friends. And what feelings he is starting to get for Onyx, he would push them away, and he would be just fine. She has been up-front about the relationship she held with Blaine as when permitted, when they didn't have a significant other, they would put to use the benefits in their friendship.

"Not going to happen. Any of that," she told him. "We are going to go have a fun day and Blaine can go do what he wants to do. He is the one that crashed my vacation with you; he'll have to be the one to deal," she told him firmly.

"Hey dude," Blaine said, falling back into bed. "I'll be here sleeping; someone kept me up all night," he yawned, burying himself under the covers and pillows.

"Yeah okay, pretty boy," Onyx laughed, shoving her makeup back into her purse. "You ready?" She questioned, grabbing her coffee from the desk, heading out.

The drive to the restaurant was done so in silence. Onyx not knowing what she has done wrong to get this closed-off version of the man her heart raced around.

"What did I do wrong?" She questioned him the second their waiter took their order. Whatever she has done to upset him; she was going to fix it.

"It's nothing," he quipped out, pulling his phone out.

"Nothing my ass," she muttered. " Is this about Blaine showing up? I didn't ask him to come here. He won't ruin anything; this ruse between us won't be ruined by him," she snapped at him.

"How can it not, when your friend with benefits is staying with you? Can you really believe that he won't ruin anything? You've already been all over each other, with as tired as you both were this morning," he gritted out.

"Yes, because he knows how important all of this is to me," she told him. "I can't help that he is here, but I am not going to kick him out because you're jealous of him," she stated, challenging him to deny what she is telling him. "We talked all night," she threw in. He didn't need to know most the night was spent talking about him.

"You're delusional if for a second, you think that I am jealous of him," he laughed.

"Then I must be delusional," she retorted, not bothered by his snarky behavior. "You were perfectly fine until Blaine pranced his way from the shower to the bed," she quickly pointed out.

"Good thing we're not getting married," he snapped. "I would hate to be married to a woman who has a casual lay on the side."

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of his bed this morning. And FYI I don't condone cheating. And another thing, I haven't done anything sexual with Blaine since I agreed to go on that blind date with you," she told him. "Ya know for a split second, I thought you were different, but you get jealous, and you turn into a jerk. Maybe it is a good thing that we're not getting married," she tacked on.

"I have nothing to be jealous of," he spat out.

"You've made that perfectly clear," she fake smiled. "Now I see why your ex-fiancée left you," she sneered at him. If he wanted to be an ass to her, she would gladly treat him the same way. If he didn't respect her feelings, why should she respect his?

"I see why you've been cheated on and why you're still single," he smirked.

For a split second, she didn't know who to be more pissed at. Jesse for telling people the morbid history she has had with guys, or at Clint for using it against her.

"Aren't we just made for each other," she sarcastically said.

"It seems that way, huh?" He questioned, with a laugh.

"Again, for the record, I didn't invite Blaine here; I didn't even want him here, he showed up on his own accord. And he knows what is at stake here so he won't say anything about us," she assured him once again.

"I'm trusting you on this," he caved. He would trust Onyx, as she is in this with him, but not Blaine as he didn't know if he ever could trust the guy.

* * *

With a battle on her hands, she was able to convince Clint to let Blaine ride with them to Jeff's house. The biggest battle for Clint was that Blaine had no need to go with them, but Onyx wanted her best friend to meet her brother. As it was important to her and if Blaine wasn't on his best behavior, he wouldn't be having kids in the near future of the distant one for that matter.

"This is all sorts of awkward," Blaine commented from the backseat, scrolling through his Facebook feed. "I can't imagine it's always this uncomfortable and tense between the two of you."

"I think that has to do with you being here," Clint stated none too politely.

"Can we not start this pissing contest?" Onyx questioned, turning in her seat to look at both the guys. "I am not in the mood to deal with the both of you. I will kick you both out of this car and make you walk," she threatened them.

"How can you possibly do that, sweetie? I am the one driving," Clint pointed out, a smug smirk on his face.

"Do you really want to go for round two today, dear?" Onyx smiled sweetly at him.

"Wouldn't it be technically round 3, honey?" Clint asked, counting the small heated debate about Blaine joining them as the second one.

"If this is some kinky fetish between the two of you, I really don't need to be knowing this," Blaine piped up from the backseat, putting his phone away.

"You can really shut up now," Onyx warned, looking at him. "So help me, Blaine," she said.

"I'll behave," Blaine told her.

"That'll be the day," Clint muttered.

"Seriously?" She asked, giving him a glare.

"I'll surrender," he chuckled, pulling into the driveway of Jeff's house. "You must have made an impact on a little mouse," he commented, noticing Sebastian's car parked in front of the garage.

"Mouse?" Blaine asked, confused for a second.

"The lawyer, Sebastian's wife," she told him. Blaine nodded, following behind them to the house?

"Aren't you going to knock? It does scream rude to enter someone's house," Blaine commented.

"We would knock, if Jeff hadn't told us to just come in when we got here," she explained to him. "We are family after all," she shrugged.

"New family," Blaine laughed, shutting the door behind him. " _It's a small, small world_ ," He sang once again.

"Blaine?" Mikki questioned, shock registering on her face, a small taking over. "What are you doing here?"

"This one," he said pulling Onyx into him, "is having a man-of-honor instead of your typical maid-of-honor," Blaine stated, adding to the lie a little more. It is something Onyx would do, if the wedding were to be true.

"How do you two know each other?" Onyx asked, moving away from Blaine, to sweep up the little girl running her way filled with giggles.

"Spring break the three years I couldn't get you to go," Blaine commented. "I told you that you needed to come," he smirked. "How else was I to spend my time in the sun? I didn't have my best friend."

"One Spring break was more than enough," she commented, not even wanting to think about what could've happened if Blaine hadn't found her. "Bailing you out took all of my money," she said, walking into the living room holding her niece. "How is my favorite niece Emmie?"

"Emmie, good. Daddy let me have ice cream for lunch," she giggled, pressing her finger to Onyx's mouth. "Sshh can't tell mommy," she whispered.

"Your secret is safe with me," Onyx whispered, sitting next to Clint on the couch.

"You didn't tell me that you had a spring break hook up," Seb commented, once everyone was seated in the living room.

"It was a bit more complicated than that. As we had an open long-distance relationship going on," Mikki commented. "It was college," she shrugged.

"A long distance of two hours," Blaine chuckled.

"That's where you went off to on certain weekends," Onyx commented, always wondering where he disappeared to at certain times, when he would ignore her calls, texts and emails for days on end.

"I'll be surprised if there isn't one woman whom you haven't banged, yet," Clint commented, pulling Onyx into him and away from Blaine, tickling Ember while making silly faces at her.

"More than plenty that I haven't," Blaine laughed.

"Don't you two get on famously?" Jeff laughed. "Mind letting the rest of us in on who he is?"

"Guys this is Blaine; my man-of-honor," Onyx introduced. "This is my brother Jeff and his wife Sugar. You know Mikki, but her husband is Sebastian. This cutie," she smiled, cuddling with her niece, "is Ember; she belongs to Jeff, but I might just take her with me," she commented.

"Don't even threaten or we will be sending her with you for a few months," Jeff teased.

"Okay dadda, I pack bags," Ember said, wiggling from her aunt's lap.

"Sweetie, no," Jeff said trying not to laugh. "Daddy was joking; you can't go with auntie Onyx. We will visit for a small vacation," he told his daughter.

"I want to go now," she pouted.

"Emmie, if you can convince Clint you can come stay with us tonight, and we'll bring you back tomorrow," Onyx commented, before she could think about what she is saying and what it would mean to her. "If your mommy and daddy are okay with that."

"Mommy and daddy are very much okay with that," Sugar commented, not giving Jeff a chance to say no, knowing how big of a daddy's girl their daughter is.

"Can I Uncle Clint, pretty please?" Ember asked, sticking her little lip out.

"Let me see," he said with a smile. He couldn't hardly tell her no. Saying yes would be a big risk because it meant that Onyx would be staying with him and not Blaine as the little girl would tell her parents, and they couldn't risk it. "I think that would be okay," he conceded, anything to make sure that nothing happened between her and Blaine for the night.

"Why don't you two get along?" Mikki questioned amused.

"We have a very sordid history," Onyx went with.

"Meaning the benefits in their relationship works fantastically," Clint sarcastically commented. "I trust my girl here," he said dropping a quick kiss to Onyx's head. "It's him I don't trust."

"Blaine is harmless. I don't cheat as I don't condone any of it. Keep trusting me, your lovely soon to be wife and all will be good," Onyx smiled sweetly up at him.

"Then what was all that tension in the car ride here?" Blaine asked.

"Couples fight. And they fight a bit more once people show up unexpectedly. A person that should be with his family," she commented, arching a brow at him.

"You love me and you know it," he stated proudly.

"At this point I think I love everyone in this room a bit more than you," she retorted.

"Hurtful," he dramatically pouted.

"Truthful," Clint stated with a smirk, playing with a loose strand of her hair.

"I was thinking that we could spend a day together before you leave," Jeff suggested. "If you wouldn't mind."

"I think that would be fantastic. I don't want to take up all of Clint's time as he does need to visit with his friends without his future wife on top of him," Onyx commented. "Name the time and place and I'm there."

"I'm sure he does mind you on top of him," Seb not so cheekily commented.

"Dude can we not?" Clint asked him.

"How did he ask you to marry him?" Sugar asked, effectively changing the topic. "I wasn't told, so I was only wondering."

"We didn't get the luxury of hearing the story either," Mikki commented.

"They've been holding the story close, as, I the best friend haven't been clued into how he eloquently popped the question," Blaine tossed out.

"Because you didn't need to know," Clint quipped out.

"I would love to say that it was romantic, but it was a disaster," she said.

"Asking you to be my wife was not a disaster," Clint huffed out.

"You asked while in the emergency room, real romantic," she quipped out.

"What the heck?" Jeff asked bug eyed. "Why the emergency room?"

"It should have been on the beach in the moonlight. Some jerk left beer cans littered in the spot we walked through. Someone couldn't walk in the ridiculous heels she wore for dinner, foregoing them to walk barefoot," he started to explain.

"Us women know how much of a pain it is to walk through the sand in heels," she commented, the girls agreeing with her. "Needless to say, I stepped on a can cut my foot open. He had a panic attack and off, we went to the emergency room."

"To help distract her from the tetanus shot, I asked her to marry me. It was either that or start striping to get your attention off the needle," he smirked.

"That is sweet," Sugar commented.

"Careful what you say around my niece," she warned. "I wouldn't have minded the strip tease," she retorted.

"Now who needs to watch what they say around the little one?" Clint asked her with a smirk. Times where they joked like they were really together and getting married, made him think that maybe she felt the same way he is starting to feel for her. He could only hope. He would deal with it later, back home in Philly.

"Speaking of little ones," Onyx commented looking at Mikki and Sebastian. "Where are your two kids?"

"Having a sleepover with their cousins at my parent's house," Seb said. "It's something they do every so often. Get their grandkids together and have a big slumber party. It's sweet of them to do it," he smiled.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go start dinner, won't be too long," Mikki announced, taking notice of the time, not wanting to make a heavily pregnant Sugar worry about it and letting Jeff stay to visit with his friends.

"Let me help," Onyx said, removing herself from Clint's tight and warm embrace.

"You don't have to," Mikki commented, getting up.

"I want to," Onyx insisted, following behind the petite woman, waiting until they were out of earshot of the living room. "Were you real serious with Blaine?"

"Were you? Or rather are you still sleeping with him on the side?" Mikki questioned, she would do everything she could to protect Clint from getting hurt. "It was never serious with Blaine. Back then I don't know if he could be serious," she shrugged, getting things out for a Chinese stir fry.

"He could be, but it depended on who he was dating. I have nothing going on with Blaine; I haven't since before the blind date with Clint. He kept you this big mystery; he would talk about the girl he could fall in love with if things were different," she shrugged.

"Things couldn't have been different with him. He was fun, but he wasn't someone I could see myself with."

"Seb wasn't either," she reminded Mikki.

"No, he wasn't. Some stay a fling, and others are for more serious life altering plans. Make sense?"

"Oddly enough it does," she commented. She's known Blaine most of her life and yet the most she could ever do with him would be to hook up with him. And for the short amount of time, she has known Clint she can see herself being happily married to him. As absurd as it sounds.

Despite Blaine being there keeping Clint on edge through dinner, Onyx was quick to note that Seb, who over the last few days noticed was more laid back while at home surrounded by family and friends happened to be more tense with Blaine around. The only time in the short amount of time that she has known Sebastian the only time she ever saw him tense was when he showed up at her door, working. But despite both Clint and Seb being tense on the edge, waiting for something to go wrong, dinner had been nothing short of a good time.

Every comment Blaine made about things being a little white lie and not as it seemed, Clint or herself, had a comment to brush off the nonsense Blaine seemed to be spewing. Onyx, herself, was moments away from throwing him out of her brother's house and making him walk back to the hotel.

"Have you thought about moving here to be closer to your brother?" Blaine asked, not even thinking about the words that escaped his mouth and how they could blow the whole thing to bits in front of their faces.

"You guys are thinking about moving here?" Jeff questioned. "I think that would be fantastic," he beamed. More than happy to have his best friend back home and to have his newly found sister closer making it easier to spend time with her and get to know her. For Jeff, it would be a win situation for all involved.

"It's not something we have talked about," Onyx said, feeling her fake fiancée tense up for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour. "I would like to move here to be closer to you and your growing family, but it might not be something that we can. Like I told Blaine it's not as easy as deciding yes without checking that it is something that can be done."

"I wouldn't mind moving back here," Clint commented. "The idea of being closer to all of you and the potential to expand here, it is something that I can easily do. It's not nearly as many steps as it would be for Onyx," he added, gently squeezing her knee. Moving back to Texas had been something that he would look into doing time to time, it wasn't just something to make him look like he is on the same page of his fake fiancée.

She has come to learn that the more time she spent among his friends and her family that he needed to be touching her at all times, and she was becoming addicted to his touch, finding ways to stay longer when Clint would suggest they should be heading back to the hotel soon. She knew they should be as Ember couldn't exactly stay up past her bedtime, but between craving his touch and scared for what the night would end up bringing forth with Ember in the middle of it, she wasn't ready to leave.

"It's something that we need to have a more serious talk about and figure out if it's best for us at this point," Onyx smiled, wrapping her hand around the one of his that laid above her knee.

"A talk we will never have if you don't leave," Clint laughed, turning his hand over to hold hers. "We'll be back tomorrow, sweetie," her said, brushing his thumb over the back on her hand.

Onyx did her best to hide the blush taking over her face at the comment he made, hearing his chuckle in her ear told her it hadn't worked out that way.

"He is right," Onyx agreed, still making no move to get up. "Ember, sweetie, you ready to go?" She asked, looking to the little girl sitting on the floor playing with her baby doll, Lilly.

"Let's go, Auntie Onny," she said, putting Lilly's belongs in her little diaper bag.

"I'll get her bag for you," Jeff commented with a soft laugh, getting up.

Onyx shared hugs with Mikki, Sebastian and her sister-in-law, following Clint out to the car, Jeff making a detour to the garage to get Ember's car seat.

"Can we go swimming?" Ember asked from the backseat of the car breaking up the silence that overtook the car the second they pulled out of Jeff's driveway.

"I don't see why not," Onyx smiled, looking back at her niece, her heart warming seeing the biggest smile on her nieces face that she had ever seen.

Getting to the hotel, Clint slipped the key card to Onyx along with Ember's bag. Before going to unbuckle and held the little girl he saw as a niece out of the car, placing her on his hip.

"We'll go check out the pool while, Auntie Onyx takes your bag to the room," he commented, giving Onyx time to move her bags into the room where a little girl wouldn't be curious as to why her aunt's stuff wasn't already in the room.

It didn't take very long to move her stuff from one room to the other as she left her clothes in her suitcases, afraid she would leave something behind if she unpacked all of her stuff.

By the time Clint made it back to the room with Ember, she already had on her wonder woman bikini, stealing one of Clint's tees to wear over the two piece. She rolled her eyes at the smug smirk sitting firmly on his lips, taking her niece to get her ready to go swimming.

"Go get ready," she told him, directing him to the bathroom to change, while helping her niece get into her pink butterfly swimsuit.

With the three of them having a grand old time in the pool, Blaine smirked, sneaking back to his room. If his friend wouldn't do anything about her growing feelings for the guy, she is quite literally playing house with, he would do what he did best and push her into saying the words out loud.

 **'I'll be there in a half hour.'** He texted, making a double check of the room to make sure he had everything and that Onyx hadn't left anything behind. With that done, he headed to the front desk.

 _'Can't wait ;)'_ He smiled at the reply, paying for the room, efficiently checking out of the room using a bogus lie on why it wasn't in his name.

Blaine had just walked out of the lobby, when the three in the pool called it quits for the night. Onyx helped Ember get washed up, not liking the idea of her niece sleeping with chlorine on her skin from the pool. With Ember washed up and in her jammies, she curled up under the blanket watching whatever show Clint put it on for her.

He let Onyx shower first, trying to stay on the towels he placed on the floor not wanting to get the whole room soaked from the water dripping off of him.

"I'm gonna have to buy more clothes if you keep wearing them and looking that good," he smirked, entering the steaming bathroom, leaving her standing by the door with a pretty pink blush on her cheeks.

With Clint in the shower, she got beneath the covers in the middle of the bed, trying her hardest not to disturb the sleeping girl. She unlocked her phone, turning the ringer onto silent, then going to see what the message from Blaine happened to be about.

"Oh no," she muttered under breath. She could believe that he pulled a stunt like this, as it wouldn't be the first time, just the first time it happened to be to this degree of pure evil. Half of her was excited about the new development, wondering just how far she could push the line with Clint. The other half of her is terrified that it will just blow up, and Clint will be pissed that she now has to share his room with him. "There's been a new development," she slowly told him, watching him walk from the bathroom in a pair of shorts.

"What's that?" He questioned, getting comfortable on the edge of the bed. Instead of repeating what Blaine's message said, she held out her phone for him to read the message.

Clint laughed, thinking maybe he could come to like the guy after all. "We'll worry about it later," he told her amusement in his voice, pulling her close to cuddle with her, wanting to keep the ruse up, as long as he could, needing to have her in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

**The DoSuem is a real place in San Antonio, Texas. Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita, who has given me permission to use her, hence the mention of her in a section of this chapter. The last portion of this chapter wasn't planned this early to happen, it just wrote itself. Please do remember that just because things seems perfect here that they won't stay that way as some drama will be coming in a few chapters. Enjoy, and I'll be seeing you for either another update on this chapter or different story altogether.**

* * *

Onyx woke up to heavy arms wrapped around her waist, tensing up at the feel for a few seconds. Soon enough remembering the events of last night had her melting into the warm, intoxicating hold. Her legs tangled with his. Her back pressed against his chest rather tightly, feeling just how happy he is pushing against her. A feeling she liked. She shook those thoughts from her head, knowing just how inappropriate they truly were. She opened her eyes, to see that her niece was sitting up in bed playing with her doll.

"Morning, sweetie," Onyx told her niece.

"Morning. Uncle Clint told me to be quiet until you got up," she smiled. "Sshh," Ember said pointing to a sleeping Clint.

Onyx smiled, looking back seeing how peaceful Clint looked while sleeping. A sight she could get use to seeing. Forgetting altogether why doing anything with Clint would be a bad idea.

"Why don't we get dressed and get breakfast before Uncle Clint wakes up. Are you up for that?" Onyx asked. She needed to place a bit of distance between herself and Clint, to fully clear her mind and remind herself why starting anything with Clint would be wrong.

"I bring Lilly?" Ember inquired, hugging her doll to her chest tightly. Onyx nodded having no problem in Ember bringing along her baby doll.

They went to the nearest bakery which happened to be a few streets over. She let Ember pick out the donuts making sure to get a few that didn't have a chocolate frosting as she wasn't a huge fan of chocolate. She ordered a coffee for herself and one for Clint letting Ember pick her own something to drink out. The little girl picked a banana blueberry smoothie.

"Uncle Clint is a bed hog," Onyx said, seeing Clint sitting in the middle of the bed, watching TV. He promptly put it on cartoons for Ember, having found nothing for himself to watch.

"It seemed like a waste of a bed when you left without me," he remarked, getting up to help a struggling Onyx.

"You were peacefully sleeping. It seemed wrong to wake you to go a few blocks for coffee and donuts," she remarked, walking around him, her hand trailing over his lower back.

Clint raised an eyebrow at her action, but said nothing as he rather enjoyed having her fingers spread warmth through his lower back. "You sure the bakery still had chocolate donuts left?" He chuckled, picking a random one up, using a napkin as a plate for Ember.

"Not many," Onyx snorted, grabbing one of them with maple frosting on it.

"How come you little Miss get a smoothie and I get yucky coffee?" He asked, handing the donut over, placing the smoothie on the bedside table next to her.

"Cause I'm not old nuff for coffee. Auntie Onny got it for you," she replied, her attention promptly back on the cartoon.

"Good call," he muttered taking a long drink of his coffee, now that it has cooled off enough to do so.

"What is it you want to do today?" She asked, once he moved his chair closer to her. "I do know at some point I want to take her to the toy store," she commented.

"I can live with that," he chuckled. "We can take her to a park later and have a little picnic," he suggested, thinking about what else they could do for the day. It had been a while since he has done anything in town with a kid in mind.

"That would be nice," she smiled.

"Maybe we can scratch the picnic idea and instead go to The DoSeum," he suggested.

"The what?" She asked, confused on what he was talking about.

"It's a science center for kids. It's a lot of fun," he smiled, remembering how much fun he had while at the museum.

"Daddy took me last day," Ember said, her attention never leaving the TV. There went that idea as they didn't want to take her to something that she had recently done.

"Okay, what do you want to do?" Onyx asked the little girl, curious to see what she would say. There is no better way to do something for the day than to let her pick what she wanted to do.

"Swim," she replied with a chocolatey smile.

"We'll swim, go get food for a picnic at the park, then the toy store," Clint said, getting up to get ready for the pool.

While he was in there getting his swim trunks on, Onyx cleaned up from their morning of donuts, sweeping donut crumbs from the bed into the trash.

"Here's a shirt for you to use," he smirked, handing her a shirt on his way past her. She smiled, easily accepting the shirt, ushering Ember into the bathroom to help her get her swimsuit on. "What's the chance that I am going to be seeing these shirts again?" He asked once Onyx changed into her suit and his shirt.

"Slim to none," she remarked. She really liked wearing his clothes more than she should.

"Of course you will Uncle Clint," Ember said from her spot in the chair to wait for her aunt to get ready for the pool. "You live together," she explained in a duh tone.

"Yes, but they will go into her dresser and I won't see them," Clint pouted.

"That's just mean," Ember said, giving Onyx a small glare.

"You will when I wear them," she smirked. "Now let's go swim before it gets too late to do so," she told them, grabbing one of the key cards and ushering them both out of the room.

"You're no fun," he joked, slinging an arm around her waist as they walked the short distance to the pool.

"We'll see if you are saying that when we get back to Philly," she remarked.

* * *

A few hours later saw them at the park. Ember pulling both Clint and Onyx onto the playground where a few other kids ran around screaming in joy. Ember joining in with the screams making them watch her whether it be on the slides, the monkey bars, or the jungle gym. She pulled Clint off to push her on the swings, giving Onyx a chance to sit on one of the benches.

"You and your husband are amazing parents," a stranger said, taking the hand of her child and walking off before Onyx could correct her.

"She's right," someone said to her left, joining her on the bench. "Even if she is your niece and he's not your husband yet." Onyx frowned looking over to the person who spoke.

"Sebastian, what are you doing here?" Onyx asked with a smile, relaxing now that she knew the person next to her and knowing it wasn't a stranger.

"Kids wanted to play at the park. It's a nice a day, figured why not. It will help them sleep tonight," he chuckled. "Can I ask you something a bit personal?"

"About what?" She inquired, dread filling her stomach. Her only thoughts were about how he found out that she wasn't really engaged to Clint.

"Blaine," he sighed, hating himself for even thinking that something more had been going on between the guy in question and his wife. "I didn't know anything about that relationship. And whenever I ask her about it she tells me the same thing, that it was the past and he was fun for her in college. I don't get why she wouldn't tell me about him," he confessed, running a hand through his hair.

"I can't give you the answers you seek," she told him. "I didn't know Mikki back then. All I know is that for Blaine things could've been different if the circumstances were different," she said, hoping that she didn't ruin the marriage between Seb and Mikki. "I do know that Mikki never felt that strongly for Blaine. She didn't love him, Mikki told me that much herself," she assured the lawyer. "I think in the big scheme of things, that whatever she had with Blaine, it wasn't anything special, not like what she has with you. Would knowing about her tryst with Blaine have stopped you from hooking up with her? Would that nugget of information stop you from loving her? Would you not have proposed if you knew? Would you have walked away from the best thing of your life over Blaine?" She asked him.

"No," he said shaking his head. "I would love her, I would have married her and had beautiful children with her. Nothing she had with Blaine or any other guy would change that," he shared.

"Then it doesn't matter because it wasn't important enough of her to share. Or maybe she didn't want you to think that she would walk away from you the way she did him. Your relationship started in the same fashion, she fell for you and not Blaine so what she had with him, is nothing compared to what she feels for you," Onyx said. Blaine may be her best friend, but that doesn't mean that she needs to stick up for him at all times.

"Much like the situation with you, Blaine and Clint," Sebastian mused. "You fell for Clint but not for Blaine. Why is that?" He questioned, curious to know why.

"I've known Blaine since I was a little girl. It would be weird to date him. I love him but not in the way where I want to marry him and have his kids." She didn't love Blaine the way she is slowly starting to fall for Clint.

"He'll make an excellent father. Parenthood is a scary thing, but it's rewarding. It's worth the trouble they cause seeing them succeed at the littlest thing. It's not for everyone. But even if he doesn't think parenthood is for him, don't back down, because he is meant to be a father," Seb heartfully told her.

"I will keep that mind," she laughed softly, turning to look at Clint, seeing him walking their way. "Don't obsess over the Blaine thing. It's not that big of deal. Leave it in the past," she suggested. "You have a wonderful life with her. You have her love. And I don't think that is an easy feat," she laughed softly.

"No. No it's not," he chuckled. "Hey man," he greeted once Clint was close enough to them.

"Hey," Clint replied, leaning down to press a sweet kiss to his fiancée's lips. "What are you two over here gossiping about?" He questioned, sitting next to Onyx, his arm laying across the back of the bench, his fingers playing with her soft locks.

"How amazing you'll be as a father once we have kids. You get no say in the matter, we will be having kids. You're too adorable with kids not to have any," she smiled at him sweetly.

"I have no arguments there. They will get their mother's beauty," he grinned, pulling her close. "As long as I'm having kids with you, we can have a whole village," he told her seriousness weaved through his words. He found that he wasn't just saying half the things he did to her because of the ruse they have going on; he meant them deeply.

The three of them sat on the bench sharing laughs and for Onyx she learned more about the two guys sitting on either side of her; as Sebastian learned more about the sister of his best friend; Clint learning new things about her as well as they watched the three kids play together until they called it a wrap at the park. Sebastian heading home with his two kids while Clint and Onyx took Ember to the toy store, before taking her home.

* * *

Dusk was starting to sit in before they pulled up to Jeff's house to drop off Ember, who happened to fall asleep on the 20 minute drive from the restaurant they had dinner at to her home. Onyx carried her in while Clint grabbed the bags and the car seat, he did make more than one trip from the car to the house. Jeff took his daughter, taking her upstairs to put her to bed.

"Did you buy the whole store?" Jeff asked, seeing the multiple bags that belonged to his daughter.

"Someone couldn't say no," Clint chuckled.

"Yeah you," Onyx retorted. "I couldn't help myself, I was making up for the birthdays and Christmases I've missed over the years," she explained with a shrug.

"You didn't have to do that," Jeff commented. He wanted her to know that she didn't have anything to make up for. It wasn't her fault that she missed out on the life of her niece. It counted that she would stay apart of her niece's life now.

"I wanted to," she shrugged. "I've got this for your unborn," she said, handing a little bag over. "I didn't let anyone see what I bought," she informed her brother.

"I'm going to take this stuff up to her room and I think we're going to go. Your little girl knows how to wear a person out," Clint chuckled, making sure to remain quiet as to not wake her when he went up the stairs leaving the siblings alone.

"Does she always have that kind of energy?" Onyx laughed, sitting on the couch. "I wish I had half her energy without a cup of coffee in the morning," she said.

"I know it," Jeff laughed. "Was she okay? No problems?"

"She was perfect. She didn't throw any fits like the rest of the kids we saw today. She was in every way a little angel," Onyx assured him. She marvelled at the well behaved girl all day even when she grew tired, she was nothing but respectful. Kudos to Jeff and Sugar on raising such an amazing daughter. "I was thinking we can hang out tomorrow, if that's good with you and your wife," Onyx told him. She talked to Clint about it earlier while Ember played at the park, before pulling them off to play. He made plans to hang out with Seb and a few others while she was getting some sibling bonding time in.

"That would be wonderful. He is all yours," Sugar commented, entering the living room.

"Have you been that suffocating?" Onyx asked, her laughter not staying in over that bit of news.

"Who's being suffocating?" Clint asked, joining Onyx on the couch, his arm resting on the back of the couch behind her.

"Apparently, I am," Jeff chuckled, shaking his head. "Hanging out tomorrow sounds great. Do you want me to pick you up?" He asked.

"That'd be perfect. Is 10 good for you?" She asked, picking a random time. A time that wouldn't be to awfully early.

"Remember to use protection or you'll end up looking like a beached whale in nine months," Sugar commented, rubbing her stomach. Making Onyx blush in the process.

"You do not look like a beached whale," Jeff told her.

"You look amazing, Sugar. And when I'm that far along in my pregnancy I hope to look half as stunning as you do," Onyx told her.

"Sweetie, is there something you need to be telling me?" Clint asked with a teasing smile. She frowned, going over the words she said, a few times before it clicked in her head. It did make her seem like she was with child now.

"I have nothing to say on that topic. We are not having a baby," she said, shaking her head. "We can try after the wedding," she suggested. "I want to be married before I have a kid."

"Maybe after the first year of marriage. I do want to enjoy you before we add in the chaos of kids," he commented. He did make a valid point. You didn't need to have a baby the second you get married.

"I like the sound of that," she smiled coyly.

"There's a brother in the room," Jeff pointed out. He didn't need to hear about his sister's sex life. He also didn't need to be a witness to his sister and best friend jumping each other on his couch.

"You wouldn't be if you left the room," Onyx pointed out, laughing. "We should go though," she said. Part of her wanted to be back at the hotel in Clint's arms and the other part of her didn't want to be alone with him, afraid to admit that she liked him far more than she should. But would it be that horrible if she stepped up and admitted her feelings?

"In order to go you need to get up," Clint laughed, holding a hand out to help her off the couch, now that he stood before her.

"How chivalrous of you," she teased, taking his hand and letting him pull her up, her lips lightly pressing against his under the guise of being a couple, the urge to kiss him, it's been there all day and she couldn't refuse any longer.

"I do try," he smiled, wrapping an arm around her. "And we'll be seeing you guys later," Clint said.

"Bye," Onyx said giving them a small wave, walking to the front door with Clint.

"Drive safely, and I'll be seeing you tomorrow," Jeff told them from the front door, locking it behind them.

* * *

Being a bit bolder and daring, upon getting back to the hotel room, she stepped into the bathroom, striping her jeans and shirt off, her black bra quick to join the rest of her discarded clothes on the floor; slipping the shirt of his that she wore earlier in the day over her head. Exiting the bathroom she dropped her dirty clothes next to her suitcase.

"I was thinking about ordering a pizza and wings," he commented, turning around falling silent taking in her lightly tanned legs on display. "I don't think I've ever seen my shirt look that sexy," he husked out.

"You needed the right person," she smirked, walking over to him. "Pizza and wings sounds good, but I think I want this a little more," she whispered against his lips. Before her lips could caress his, he pulled back, locking eyes with her.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked, his left hand resting on her hip, his right hand coming up to cup her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. He wanted her in every way imaginable, but he wouldn't go through with it if it would be something that she would regret at any point in the future. They still had a few days before they flew out.

"I've wanted this for a while now," she confirmed, slowly sliding her hands from his chest to the back of his neck. "I want you. Not only now, but even when we get back to Philadelphia," she confessed. "Unless you don't want me," she frowned, taking a step away from him. That is her worst fear in putting forth her feelings for him, that he didn't want her. And as much as that hurt, it is best to figure it out now so she can get over the crush she has on him.

Clint took a step with her, giving her no space. In fact he pulled her closer with the hand on her hip, using his free hand to tilt her head up. He said nothing pressing his lips against hers feeling her tense up at that intimate touch. He pulled her closer, applying a little more pressure feeling her relax against him.

"I've wanted you since the night of Jesse's party. My plan hadn't been to spill my drink on you, that was an accident. The second I saw you that night I couldn't look away. I wanted you then and I want you now more than ever," he confessed, slipping his hands under the shirt she wore, his fingers toying with the band of her lace panties.

"Then I don't see why we can't enjoy adult activities," she smirked, playing with the short hair on the back of his neck.

"Because if we're doing this, whatever this turns out to be, then I want to do something right between us," he chuckled at how backwards this whole thing turned out to be. One day down the line the story would be a funny one to tell everyone.

"And that means what?" She asked, teasing her lips over his, wanting to have a little fun with him.

"That you need to get some clothes on, because I am taking you out on our first official date. And as much as I would love for you to go dressed like that, we'd end up in jail," he explained with a low growl, a jealousy streak going through his eyes.

"I don't think I packed clothes for a date," she told him, shaking her head. The clothes she packed were for meeting his friends and her brother not for any dates. Her clothes consisted of jeans and tees. "So how about we order that pizza and your gross wings and stay in. We'll watch a movie or two and cuddle under the covers," she suggested.

"No funny business," he warned. No real heat in his eyes at his demanded as a smile tugged the corners of his mouth up.

"I make no promises, have you seen you?" She asked him, walking over to the bed. He chuckled, fishing his phone from his pocket to dial the local pizza place to put their order in. "Pineapple is needed on that pizza," she informed him when he looked to her seeing about toppings.

"15 minutes. Find anything good to watch?" He asked.

"Yeah, Top Gun," she replied, moving into his arms.

"We might just work out," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "So you haven't done anything with Blaine since the blind date set up?" He questioned. He had to make sure that she wouldn't be playing him. Her saying she wanted him, meant very little if she kept Blaine as more than a friend. It is one of those things that he trusts her with, but he needs to be assured of every so often.

"I haven't. Benefits are off the table when we're in a relationship," she told him placing her hand over his mouth before he could say anything. "Us dating may have been fake, but it was important and it was a blind date. Blaine is fun but I want serious with you," she explained wanting him to understand that she saw things with Blaine in a different light to how she sees a relationship with him. "Why would I ruin what has the potential to be something amazing over a stupid move?" She asked him, taking his hand in hers.

"You have the potential to be someone important in my life. Someone that could hurt me badly as I could you, but I don't have a female Blaine, nor do I want one," he confirmed.

"I won't set out to hurt you, Blaine is nothing more than a friend going forward. I know you have issues with trusting him, I don't blame you, but you need to trust me, if you can't do that, we won't work out," she simply told him. She couldn't be in a relationship without trust.

"I trust you," he simply said, softly kissing her.

The kiss had no chance of getting heated when a loud knock echoed through the room. Clint removed himself from the bed pulling out the money needed to pay for the food.

"If you get crumbs in the bed, you're sleeping on the floor," he warned, placing the boxes on the table.

"Then we best eat at the table," she laughed, joining him at the little table the room offered its guests, getting a slice of pizza, looking at his chicken wings with disgust.

"What do you have against chicken wings?" He chuckled, pulling the box closer to him.

"I've never liked them. I'll eat the boneless ones, but the ones with bones, yuck," she told him. She couldn't explain it any better than that. It's just one of those things that she didn't like with no real explanation as to why.

"You're strange," he said shaking his head. "It's a good change from normal," he tacked on before she could get mad at him.

"Nice save," she laughed.

That is how they spent the rest of their night. Moving back to the bed once they finished eating. Watching another movie, or half of one as Clint turned it off once Onyx fell asleep on him. He pulled her flush against himself nuzzling her neck. Ending up with Onyx wasn't in the cards at the start of his ruse, but now that he had a real chance of making her his, he would do everything he could to prove to her that what they started in this hotel room won't need to end once they get home to Philly.


	4. Chapter 4

"Do not make me go into Victoria Secrets," Jeff warned. "Or any stores like that," he quickly tacked on. "As your brother, I don't need to know anything about your intimate wear," he shuttered. The one perk of not growing up with his sister, and ultimately the only perk he could think of because he down right hated that he didn't grow up with her. He would gladly go all overprotective of her when it came to her boyfriends. Heck, he wondered if he could do that with Clint.

"I wouldn't do that to begin with. That is just too weird and awkward for my taste," Onyx quickly told him, shuttering at the very thought. "You don't even need to come into the shop when I get my dress," she commented. She wouldn't torture him in that way. Not that she minded either way. He could do as he pleased as he is a grown adult capable of making his own choices. Having a brother is still new territory for her.

"I don't get why you need a new dress for and I don't quite care on why. I get you are a woman and need a new dress for your date with your fiancé. A dress that you won't ever wear again," he tossed out, parking his car in the parking lot for the mall.

"I wear all my dresses multiple times," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him, pushing the passenger side door open to get out. "I wouldn't waste money on something I am only going to wear once," she commented.

"Prom dress, formal dresses, even a wedding dress, you would wear them multiple times?" He asked, pocketing his keys once he locked his car up.

"Didn't go to any of my formal's, partied instead," she shrugged, dances weren't her things. "Prom, I've found other ways to wear that dress. Halloween costume and stuff like that. And now that it doesn't exactly fit, I gave it away. And I can't say anything about a wedding dress as I haven't found the right dress," she told him, remembering to add that last bit of information in.

"What do you mean you haven't picked out a wedding dress, the wedding is what like in 4 months? Shouldn't you already have your dress picked out?" He asked with a chuckle. She cringed inwardly, with that fact getting pointed out to her once again, a small but very important detail to remember.

"You could say that," she sighed. "It's hard without having my mom to help me. It is hard doing this without her," she softly explained, biting the inside of her cheek. She might have just bit off more than she could chew with one little comment about a wedding dress, the easiest way to get the heat from her to him was asking him a personal question. "How did you and Sugar meet?" She asked, walking into the mall, walking in no specific direction.

"Her boyfriend of a six months stood her up and I left my friends since I watched her for like an hour waiting to see if anyone would show up or if she happened to be dining alone. The way she kept watching the door, I had a sinking feeling on what went down. I went over. It took me over two years to stop being in the friend zone with her," he chuckled explaining it to her.

"I can bet you were a lovesick fool," she laughed at him.

"You wouldn't be wrong," he chuckled. "What is the game plan here?" Jeff asked, following her lead.

"If it's okay with you," she started to say looking around. "We can hang out at the arcade for a few hours, get a bite to eat for lunch before I find what I want to wear for my date." Neither one of them hungry, as they had breakfast with Clint before making the journey to the mall. "Speaking of which how'd the two of you meet?" She questioned.

"I am okay with that plan," he said, walking in the direction of the arcade. Onyx easily falling into step with him. "We lived in the same neighborhood growing up. The rest is history," he chuckled. "So Blaine, is he the only best friend you had growing up?" Jeff questioned, wanting to know more about the woman that is his sister.

"No," she laughed. "I had friends that I hung out with daily. Not that I can say I am still friends with them to this day. My best friend married my high school sweetheart. Can't say I have talked to either one of them since their wedding three years ago," she shared.

"They weren't together when you were dating him, were they?" He checked, not liking the idea of an ex boyfriend hurting her. It pained him to know that he could have been there to save her from that pain.

"No," she replied shaking her head. "We were broken up for a little over two years before they started to date. I didn't mind, I was in a different relationship at the time. I wasn't going to hold anything against them. They were lucky enough to find love, I can't be mad at them for that," she explained.

"And you've found your love with Clint," he remarked.

"That I have," she smiled, still feeling uneasy lying about loving his best friend, regardless of the actual date they are going on when night time fell upon them. "Now I am going to kick your butt in air hockey," she teased.

"You wish," he laughed, putting the money in to play the game.

"Do you have more questions to ask?" She questioned with a laugh, going to her side of the air hockey table, ready to play the game.

"I have a bunch, but I don't want you to get mad or annoyed over the abundance of questions I have," he shrugged, getting the game started. He wanted to know everything about her. He should know his sister inside and out if he had grown up with her. He didn't want her to feel like a stranger but the sister she truly is to him. His best friend shouldn't know more about his sister than he does.

"That is the point in us hanging out, is it not?" She quickly asked him. She wouldn't get annoyed with him over it. She wanted to share her life with him not that she has gotten to know him just alittlet. She has a brother and it would be wrong if she knew nothing about him or who he used to be.

"It is the point of hanging out," he nodded. Relieved to know that she was okay with the questions he had to ask.

"For every question you ask me, you have to answer," she told him, keeping her eyes on the thin black plastic puck zooming from one end to the other, keeping it from going into her goal. She too wanted to know about her brother; wanted to know what she missed out on with having an older brother.

"I had this silly stuffed dog that I took everywhere until I was like 7. Did you have anything like that?" He asked, hitting the puck and sinking it into his sister's goal getting a point. Leaving out the fact he got teased by his friends, mainly Seb and his brothers.

"I didn't have anything like that," she frowned, missing the point her brother scored while she happened to be distracted. "I didn't have a toy or a blanket that I was attached to," she shrugged, sending the puck back to him. "Is that weird?" She questioned. She didn't have anything that sentimental from her childhood.

"No," he answered her. "What was your favorite thing to do as a child?" He asked then, missing the block in his goal, Onyx getting her first goal of the game. "I couldn't stay inside the house. I needed to be outside in any weather," he shared, getting the puck back into play.

"We have that in common," she laughed. "Growing up I loved winter the most. Playing in the snow, it was great and the best part was always coming in to have a cup of hot cocoa sitting by the fireplace to warm up. You remember the Narnia book series?" She asked, scoring another point, to tie the game up at 2 a piece. Jeff nodding that he did know of the books she is talking about. "I would curl up in this oversized chair and read them when I came in from the snow, my face red from the cold wind," she laughed.

"I was more of a Harry Potter fan," Jeff laughed.

"Nothing wrong about that. I love those books," she shared. "Now that I am older I have come to despise the cold. I like fall with the trees changing colors." For her the snow and ice made her daily commute that much worse than it should be. She did enjoy how the world around her looked with the first dusting of snow, everything glistening under the high afternoon sun.

"I am Autumn person myself," he added in, battling to score his next point. He couldn't say anything about the snow as he never got to experience a full winter complete with cold and snow. "How were you growing up? Did you ever cause trouble growing up?"

"All the time," she laughed, thinking back to her school days and the hijinks that ensued. "School was fun, but it bored me. I needed to create my own fun and if that meant getting in-school detention or suspended so be it," she laughed. "Let me guess, you never got into trouble and you were the shining example of a goody two shoes," she laughed harder getting another point taking the lead for the first time since they started to play.

"For the most part," he laughed. "There were times that I rebelled," he shared.

"Times that you did rebel or times that you just thought about rebelling?" She teased, getting her fourth point of the game making it 4-2.

"Laugh it up," he groaned, putting the puck back on the table to keep playing. "Did you always want to be a sporty journalist?"

"No," she sighed, hitting the puck back at him. "I wanted to be a lot of different things growing up none of them stuck. Sports and writing were the two things in my life that remained the same through the years and when I needed to pick a major it seemed right to go with it," she explained. "I wouldn't mind having my own sports talk show," she smiled. "Or even doing something else out of my comfort zone.

"Like doing that here?" He playfully asked, hiding how serious he is about those two words. "What else would you do?"

"It wouldn't be horrible," she shrugged, missing the puck and watching it sail into the goal, making her now one point ahead of Jeff. "I was in reallydeep with forensic. Took a class when I was in high school. I thought about going into that field, but I am not to keen on all things science," she smiled. "What about you?"

"I wanted to be a heartthrob," he laughed. "I had it all planned out with Seb. Until, he went on to become a lawyer. Figured I needed to be a bit more serious and I didn't totally hate math and with it being something I was good at, accounting seemed to be pretty perfect."

"Perfect indeed," she smiled. "What about hobbies?" She asked. "Even I have a few of those," she laughed. "Like singing and dancing. I've done both since I was little. I just never wanted to make a career out of them as I enjoy doing them, it's just not something I want to be doing with my life," she shrugged.

"Before Ember was born I would be in these plays at the local theatre. It was fun and after she was born it was hard to balance that with being a husband and a father. It is something I would do again if I had the time to do it," he shared.

"Maybe you should make time," she suggested.

"Maybe you need to take your own advice," he smirked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she sighed, letting the comment go. "I have a very serious question for you," she stated with a groan slipping out, when Jeff tied the game up.

"Should I be scared?" Jeff questioned with a laugh.

"Depends," she stated, hitting the puck in his direction. "Cats or dogs? I love dogs way more than cats," she informed him.

"I don't really have a preference," he laughed.

They kept learning more about each other as they played the game and moving onto other games to see who could get the better score on each game before they wasted their tickets on candy and little plastic toys, not having enough for any of the better prizes that could be bought, even when combining their tickets. Spending the day together proved to be an excellent bonding experience for the newly acquainted siblings. Making it that much harder when she did leave.

* * *

She made it back to the hotel before Clint returned giving her the chance to get ready before he showed up. She took her new dress and the rest of the things she would need to get ready for her first official date with her fake fiancée.

Finished with her shower, she kept a towel wrapped around her body and one wrapped around her hair while she did her makeup. Once she finished getting the perfect look for the night she removed the towel from her hair, using the blow dryer in the bathroom to dry her hair. She left her hair down, adding a few soft curls.

She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing the black lace that overlay the light purple of the dress, that stopped above her knees. Satisfied with her look she exited the bathroom sitting on the edge of the bed to slip on her heels. A glance at the clock told her that Clint should have been here by now. She wasn't about to freak out that he happened to be running behind. She learned being around his friends and family as well as hers that Clint wasn't the type of guy to stand anyone up.

She frowned walking towards the door to see who is knocking. A smile replaced her frown seeing Clint standing in the hotel hallway ready for their date night.

"What are you doing?" She asked pulling the door open to reveal Clint fully, dressed sharp in black slacks and light gray button up shirt; the top buttons left undone.

"Can't a guy pick a girl up without being asked why?" He asked back with a chuckle. "You look amazing, Onyx," he smiled.

"I am not the only one," she smiled, moving away from the door. "I am ready to go if you are," she told him, debating on if she really wanted to take a purse or not. It wasn't as if she needed anything in it. And if she did leave her phone behind she wouldn't have it to distract her, but she couldn't leave it behind in case anything went on with Sugar.

"What are you stressing over?" Clint asked, moving into the room after he made sure the door was latched shut.

"I am trying to figure out if I want to take a purse," she told him. She wasn't one much for carrying a purse, opting out to stuff what she needed in her pockets. Just this time she didn't have pockets on her dress.

"I have an extra pocket if you don't want to take a purse," he offered.

"You wouldn't mind?" She questioned.

"Not every guy that offers to do something for you is just being nice," he started to say. "I say it because I will hold onto it for you, if you need me to do so," he finished telling her.

"Thanks for the offer," she smiled, picking her phone up. "I may take you up on that offer later," she told him. She didn't mind carrying her phone. "You do have a key card don't you?" She teasingly questioned him.

"My fiancée is so freaking hilarious," he muttered, opening the hotel room door open.

"What happened to the fake part?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she walked past him into the hallway. She found it more amusing that he said it without adding fake to it.

"Just playing the part," he smirked, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

"I'd say," she smiled. "So was I not good enough for flowers?" She asked, walking out the doors of the hotel.

"I thought about it," he sighed, leading her to the car. "But I didn't know what kind of flowers you wanted and I thought it was kind of cliché to get you roses," he explained, opening the car for her.

"I am not a huge fan of roses," she told him once he joined her inside the car. "But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate them from time to time. Daffodils are my favorite flower," she quickly added on.

"Noted," he remarked, starting the car. "Did you have fun with Jeff?" He asked, pulling out of the parking lot.

"It was very informative," she told him. "We did have fun at the arcade," she tacked on. "Learning about Jeff made me think about us." The more she learned about Jeff the more she started to realize that she needed to know more about him and his family. As she didn't know anything about his sister other than her name is Rachel and her family who couldn't be there the night of the party as her oldest kid happened to be sick and they figured it best to keep the other two kids home just in case.

"Think about us how?" He asked curiously. "You're not thinking about having second thoughts about us dating?" He questioned. He didn't like how his stomach dropped at the prospect of her not wanting to actually try dating, he thought there was some kind of connection between them.

"I'm not having second thoughts about us," he told him with a smile. She was excited for their date and what it would mean for them once they got back to Philadelphia. "We know very little about each other. Other than the basics we don't know anything deeper than that about each other," she explained to him.

"What is it you want to know?" He asked, pulling up to a stoplight. "I think at this point anything is fair game," he shrugged lightly, waiting for the light to turn green.

"What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and it was 13 years in the past and you were your younger self but still had your current memories and experiences?" She asked him.

"I thought you wanted deep, personal questions?" He chuckled.

"I do," she replied. "I want to know about your family and your past and every little thing that makes you, you," she told him. "And I want to share all of it with you as well," she informed him. "But that doesn't mean we can't have fun with some silly questions along the way," she stated.

"I see your point," he chuckled. "There is a lot I would like to change, but I don't know if I would do it. All those events in my past they've helped shape me into the person I am now," he told her. The outcomes weren't always desirable but he learned from them.

"You make such an amazing point," Onyx quickly agreed. "I would change this story between us. For the simple fact that I feel so guilty lying to my brother, because over the short amount of time spent with him, it's been nice and we have bonded. And I don't like starting any relationship out on a lie."

"What would you have changed the story to?" He asked, feeling his stomach drop once again. On a certain level he could agree with what she is saying because he hates the fact he his lying to his friends and family but he wouldn't change it, not with the way things are working out for him.

"I really don't know," she sighed. "Friends wouldn't work out because they were expecting to meet your fiancée and they would question you on why you brought me and not her and there would go the purpose of it all. The same could be said about us dating," she explained, not able to thinking of a good enough reason to change the story around.

"We can always tell them the truth," he caved, wanting her to feel better about the situation he put her into. She shook her head.

"No, I don't want that, not really. It's only a few more days and then we can see how things will be once we are back home and away from here," she told him. She didn't say what she did to make him feel guilty and expose himself like that. She could play pretend a few more days.

"If at any point you want to pull the plug on this, I will come clean with them. They won't hate you for it. They will be upset with me," he shared. He would do everything in his power to make sure they knew she wasn't at fault for his stupidity.

"I will keep that in mind, but we are not pulling the plug on this. If we don't work out at any point in the future, we can tell them the truth then," she told him sternly.

"Okay," he nodded, pulling into the parking lot for the restaurant. "If I had to change anything it would be the night of Jesse's party and instead of pouring my drink on you, I would have taken the chance to ask you to dance earlier in the night, that way this," he said, taking her hand. "Would have started out on better terms," he told her.

"That is very sweet of you," she smiled. "And I would have rather danced with you than have your drink all over my dress," she said, slipping her hand from his to get out of the car.

She slipped her hand into his as they walked across the parking lot illuminated from the street lights. Holding his hand under real circumstances felt so much more real than when she held his hand for their engagement ploy. A feeling she hasn't felt with her last few boyfriend's, a feeling she had given up on. A feeling she craved more of. A feeling that could easily transform into love if she wasn't careful enough. Not that she wouldn't mind falling in love with him, not after getting to know the man next to her and not the guy that dumped his drink all over her, for his own selfish reasons.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Clint teased, once they were seated in more of a secluded area of the restaurant.

"It's silly," she smiled shyly, turning her focus onto the menu. "Have you eaten here before?" She questioned, wondering what happened to be good as nothing was catching her eye.

"A couple times," he admitted not wanting to make their first official date awkward by mentioning any previous dates he had been on while living there.

"Then what's good? I can't seem to decide on anything," she told him, flipping through the pages. "I'm not big on sea food or steaks for that matter," she frowned. Normally she would settle on a normal burger but the ones they served were from her taste of normal and they didn't sound very delicious at all. "And the burgers are definitely not up to my taste."

"You really need to try something new, Onyx," he chuckled, looking back over the menu. He already knew what he was going to be ordering. "Do you like pork chops?" He questioned.

"I do," he agreed with a nod of her head. "I didn't see the pork chop on there," she admitted. "But I do believe that is what I will go with," she decided on.

With their dinner and drinks ordered, they sat back and learned more about each other while they had a wonderful date. He indulged on his family and the reasons on why he didn't talk about it very often, as his parents abandoned him the Berry's taking him in when was only 8 and they became the family he never had. She shared about how she had no cousins, an aunt and a distant uncle, but they never had kids. How she never got to meet her grandparents. Despite that she loved her childhood. It couldn't have been better.

It wasn't until after their dessert arrived; they both got something different but they did share as they were taught when they were kids. As neither one could make up their minds on what they wanted for dessert so they got both, solving their dilemma altogether.

"I would have loved to study overseas in high school," she commented, listening to how he spent his Sophomore year in London. "We hosted an exchange student once. That was fun and I did learn a lot about Ireland. St. Patrick's day was a real blast that year," she laughed, thinking back to the time spent with Rory.

"Why didn't you do it?" He asked, now stuffed fully from the dessert.

"I am not really sure," she laughed. "I guess I never thought about doing it," she shrugged. "I do know that I can't possibly eat another bite," she told him.

He laughed getting up, moving around the table to help her up as the bill had already been paid, being brought out with their dessert.

"Do you see the slight problem?" She asked him, coming to a stop in front of their hotel room. A goodnight kiss would be easy if she still had a separate room from him but since Blaine went ahead and pushed her into Clint's arms, it wasn't that simple. Was it?

"What is that? A good night kiss?" He teased, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"On second thought I don't think I want to be kissing you," she shot back, leaning against the wall.

"Is that so?" He questioned, going to block her against the wall, his hands either side of her head. She nodded her head, biting her bottom lip, hearing the man before her groan softly. The second his lips were inches from hers she ducked under his arm, stealing the key card from his hand opening the door.

"I don't think so," she laughed, entering the room; Clint close behind her.

"Not cool," he pouted.

She smiled kissing his cheek, going to the bathroom to change into a pair of silk shorts and a camisole. Washing the makeup from her face. She smiled seeing the way he kept checking her out, not that her eyes diverted elsewhere in the room seeing him in a tight pair of boxer briefs.

"I think you are missing some clothes," she horsed out dryly.

He chuckled, pulling her flush against him. "The same could be said about you," he husked out, capturing her lips with his own. Onyx being the one to deepen the kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

_**This chapter sees the use of Mikki, who does belong to KikiJuanita and she has given me permission to use her, if you wish to use her do head over and ask her. Harlow, Onyx, Avery and the kids used within this chapter belong to me and can't be used without my permission. Enjoy!**_

* * *

For the few days that they have been sharing a room together, waking up with Clint holding her tightly against himself felt nice and something that she could easily grow use to. And there was nothing better than going to sleep in his shirts over her own pyjamas. She turned in his arms seeing that he was still out cold. She pressed a small kiss to his cheek and removed his arms from around her waist. As much as she didn't want to get out of the warmth the bed offered, she didn't have much of a choice.

"Baby, no, don't go," he mumbled, pulling her back against him and the warmth that radiated off of him. "Stay," he sighed, pressing a small kiss to her shoulder.

"If I don't go, this bed is going to be warm and wet, in a very gross way," she told him, removing his hands. He easily let her go.

"I don't need to be dating a bedwetter," he teased, cracking an eye open to look at her. "Hurry back, it's cold without you, babe," he stated, pulling the blankets tighter around himself, closing his one open eye.

Onyx shook her head, going to the bathroom to do her business, deciding if she wanted to take a shower now or wait until later in the day, and go back to her very comfortable boyfriend in bed. At least she hoped he was her boyfriend. A date and hanging out with his friends where she needed to be his fiancée didn't warrant her to call the man sleeping her boyfriend.

"There is a freaking wall between us and I can hear you thinking, Onyx. Come back to bed and put those thoughts to rest," Clint called out to her. She shook her head marveling at how well he knew her already.

She laughed, drying her hands now that she had washed them and joined him back in bed, laughing louder when he pulled her close, pressing kisses to the side of her face. She turned in his embrace capturing his lips with her own.

"What is consuming those thoughts of yours?" He asked, running a hand through her hair, while she rested her head against his chest.

"Us," she told him, drawing random patterns on his bare chest. "I know it's all sorts of complicated right now and we've come to the conclusion to talk about it all when we get back to Philadelphia, but I can't help but think about things," she told him with a sigh.

"We can talk about whatever it is that is bothering you, Onyx. We don't have to wait until we get back to Philadelphia," he assured her.

"It is something that can wait," she smiled, looking up at him. Defining their relationship wasn't that big of a deal right now. They'd be home in a few days. It could wait that long.

"If it keeps bugging you and won't let you enjoy the last day of 2017, then remember that you can tell me what it is and we can work it out together," he informed her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I will keep it in mind. What is the game plan for today?" She asked. She knew later in the day they were headed over to Mikki and Seb's for the party as they didn't want to go out to ring in the new year, because Sugar was pregnant and it made more sense to have a party at someone's house. And having it at Jeff and Sugar's house may have been ideal but they felt bad for making a mess in their house and making her clean it up. Alas why they were going to casa del Smythe.

"We can stay in bed until like 4," he suggested. "Though I am getting hungry," he commented, the same time his stomach started to growl.

"I can hear," she teased, poking his stomach. "Let's go have some late breakfast," she commented, getting out of bed. Grabbing a pair of pants and slipping them on where she stood. They'd be back to get ready for the party and she had a fun little skirt she would be wearing. "Are you gonna lay there all day, or are we going?" She asked, grabbing her brush and deodorant.

"Give me a minute, baby," he said, having got caught up on watching her, noticing a small tattoo, on her left butt cheek, that caught him off guard. Every retort he had on the tip of his tongue were deep down in his stomach at this point. "Are you wearing my shirt out in public?" He questioned, slipping a pair of jeans on and getting a new shirt.

"Is that a problem for you?" She asked grabbing her phone, to slip into her pocket.

"Not a single one, babe," he replied, getting his socks and shoes on. "You ready?" He asked walking to the door. "I can get you a clean shirt if you want," he suggested, waiting on her.

"Yep," she replied, slipping a pair of shoes on. "I like this one, it smells like you," she confessed with a blush.

"Okay," he laughed, pulling the door open, making sure he had a key card before letting the door shut behind him. They remained silent holding hands out to the car. "You do know at this hour of the day it is called brunch," he told her on their way to the restaurant.

"Don't tell me that you have been thinking about that since before we left," she said looking at him with a bewildered look on her face.

"Sorry if all rational thought left my mind when you stood there in my shirt looking sexy as hell," he wasn't about to tell her that he was busy checking her butt out. "And I do like this look on you, baby," he told her removing a hand from the wheel to place it on her upper leg.

"What look?" She asked, looking down at her ensemble. "A hobo?" She questioned with a frown. She didn't think she looked like anything special; what wearing a pair of jeans, a shirt that should be washed as he wore it the day prior and she it wore it to bed, so it probably smells a little fresh, she just didn't care and she didn't feel like putting makeup on just to wash it off once she got a shower in later in the afternoon.

"Far from it babe," he told her truthfully. He thought she looked stunning all dressed up, but when she is being her normal self void of makeup and fancy clothes, to him she was at her best. "You look stunning in my shirt and I love this all natural look. You look beautiful without all that crap on your face," he smiled, giving her knee a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah well I like wearing that crap as you so eloquently put it," she told him, her blush from his comment holding firm on her cheeks.

"It's not as if you need it, is all I am saying, baby," he told her.

"You really like using those nicknames don't you?" She asked with a smile. "You've called me babe or baby a handful of times in the past half hour," she clarified.

"I can stop, if it bothers you that much," he suggested. He didn't want to make her upset by calling her babe or baby. He really didn't know that he had said it more than just a few times since they woke up.

"It doesn't bother me," she confirmed, taking his hand into hers. "I quite like it," she smiled, brushing her fingers over the back of his hand.

"Good," he said, pulling their conjoined hands to his lap. "Because I quite like calling you, baby," he told her.

The girns they sported weren't very easy to wipe off their faces for the remainder of the morning.

* * *

Later that afternoon they found themselves at Seb and Mikki's. She easily shared a few laughs with Sugar while Jeff was busy talking with the guys outside watching the kids play.

"Hey, babe," Clint said walking into the living room where she sat with the other woman. She looked up at him seeing he had her phone.

"Hey, what's going on?" She asked, taking her phone from him. The phone she didn't have a pocket for and she didn't want one of the kids to get a hold of it and break her screen or get it wet by chance. She figured the safest spot for it would be in Clint's pocket.

"Blaine won't stop calling. And you can be as pissed as you want at me for it, but I really tired to ignore his calls, but the guy doesn't give up," he explained, groaning softly when her phone went off again, signalling that Blaine was trying to reach her via FaceTime.

"Hey, Blaine, hold on," she smiled into her phone at her best friend, before looking back at Clint. "I'm not mad and I get why," she told him. "Now excuse me ladies while I go have this chat with my friend," she excused herself. "What's going on?" She asked, leaning against the wall in the upstairs hallway.

"I could ask the same thing," he chuckled. "But I will get those details later," he chuckled. "I'm in a little pickle," he said, glancing to his left.

"What did you do, Blaine?" She asked ready to hear the worst of what he had done.

"You remember all those trips out of town, work meetings and every other little excuse as to why I couldn't hang out?" He asked looking a bit sheepish.

"I remember. Were they lies?" She asked, feeling like that was the direction he is taking her in.

"Yes," he laughed. "I was visiting my girlfriend here, or she was visiting me," he said moving his phone to show her the pretty blonde sitting next to him on the couch. "Meet Avery," he introduced.

"Hi, Blaine has told me all about you, Onyx," Avery said with a smile. She saw the appeal, as Avery was a gorgeous woman.

"Hi," Onyx smiled. "We have plenty to talk about when I see you next, dude," she told him.

"That might not be for a while. While you've been there meeting your future family and friends, I've been having this lovely chat with my very lovely girlfriend and I've decided to move here to Pasadena to be with Avery."

"You're moving in with her?" She questioned, getting an affirmative nod from Blaine. She wasn't mad at him, she is happy for him that he found someone like Avery. "That's why you've been so pushy about me moving here," she sighed. She wanted to question him about why he was hooking up with her when he had a girlfriend. Their arraignment was supposed to be off limits while they had a significant other, but she didn't want to ruin anything if she didn't know about it.

"It is. It's only 20 minutes away," he told her.

"I'm sure this little reunion is going wonderfully," Clint said, joining Onyx. "I've got a few people for you to meet," he told her. "Blaine," he said courtly.

"Clint a pleasure like always," Blaine laughed. "Meet my girlfriend, Avery," he said. "That's Clint."

"Why don't you guys join us, if you don't have plans for the night already," she told Blaine. The sooner she could talk to him the better.

"The more the merrier," Clint agreed.

"We'll talk it over and I'll text you and let you know," Blaine said, ending the call.

"That was rather nice of you," she said, slipping her phone into the pocket of the hoodie he wore, slipping her arms around his neck.

"As much as I don't like the guy, he is your best friend, so it is something that I need to get use to," he told her, resting his hands on her waist, dropping his forehead to hers.

"If it helps, he's moving to Pasadena, so he won't be in the city of Philadelphia," she smirked.

"That helps a lot," he chuckled, pressing his lips against hers.

"Yuck!" They heard making them pull apart laughing. She looked over to see a little boy about 8, his dark brown hair styled into a mohawk.

"Isaiah," Clint laughed. "Meet my fiancée, Onyx," he said. "Babe, meet my nephew Isaiah."

"Hello, little dude," Onyx said.

"Hi," he smiled. "Mom and dad are wondering when you are coming back down," he said.

"We'll be right there," he informed his nephew, watching him run back down the stairs. "You ready to meet the rest of Rachel's family?"

"One of these days you will have to explain how it all works, because I do know how having kids works and having two fathers, doesn't equal a pregnancy," she stated, walking down the stars. Clint right behind her. "Adoption, yes," she said softly.

"A few more days and I will tell you everything you want to know, but you must do the same," he whispered in her ear, joining the rest in the living room. She didn't have much else to tell him. She told him most everything when they met up to come up with the ruse for his friends.

"Can you two wait until you're alone to be talking about other adult activities?" Seb questioned them.

"You can shove it where the sun doesn't shine," Clint told him. "You remember Rachel, and you just meet Isaiah, this is his twin brother Isaac," he said motioning to a little boy with hazel eyes and light brown hair whereas his brother had brown eyes. "This little one is Eva," he said, making a face at the little girl who looked like her mother, playing with Ember. "And this guy is Noah. And this is my fiancée Onyx," he introduced.

"Hello," she smiled looking at them.

"Onyx Jacobson?" Puck questioned. Over the years he had only met one Onyx. It wasn't a common name at all.

"How do you know that?" She questioned looking over at him. She didn't know him. Couldn't place him anywhere. As far as she is concerned this is the first time she had ever met him.

"How many times have you been arrested?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You've been arrested?" Clint asked. "You're not some felon are you?" He teased.

"Not a felon and I've only been arrested once. And it wasn't my fault. It was on a trip to New York after college, this chick wanted to fight, I fought back. The charges against me were dropped. Were you the arresting officer?" She asked, wondering if that was why he knew her.

"It's a name that sticks with you because you don't hear it very often," he said. "And yes, that was me. I had only been on the job for a week," he laughed.

"It sticks alright," she retorted. Don't get her wrong she loved her name. When she was younger she did often want a more normal name and not one that referred to mineral. Even then when she wanted a different name she wouldn't have really changed her name. There is a charm to her name and one she was all too happy to have. "Was that the first action you saw?"

"You could say that," he laughed. Thinking about the ride along that led to nothing more than a few parking tickets or warnings. Arresting Onyx and her friend had been the first arrests he made while being a police officer.

"I do hope that it's alright that we invited Blaine and his girlfriend over. But my girl here, really wants to meet her best friend's girlfriend in person," Clint told the group, pulling Onyx to sit on his lap in the only available chair.

"That is what he wanted when he called," Onyx nodded. "So I do hope that it isn't a problem," she said, not wanting to have any of them upset with her.

"It's not a problem," Jeff said. "He is your friend and I do like seeing my best friend there squirm whenever the guy is around," Jeff laughed.

"You are a horrible best friend," Onyx laughed. "Though it is rather cute how he gets all jealous and has this need to mark his territory whenever Blaine is around," she laughed, kissing his cheek.

"I do not get jealous or mark my territory," he said annoyed.

"Dude," Seb laughed. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but yes you do, on both accounts," he stated.

"Just because you're a lawyer doesn't mean you know everything, dude," Clint retorted, pulling Onyx closer to himself.

"I know quite a bit," he remarked. "Miks can tell you just as much," he smirked.

"Dude, we don't need to know about your private life," Matt stated laughing.

"What are you doing with my phone?" She asked looking to see what Clint had been doing as she felt him grab more than her phone with his hands between them.

"It was vibrating. I was curious," he blankly told her the truth. "Blaine wanted to know where you were at. I told him," he said. "It wasn't as if I needed to unlock your phone to do so," he shrugged.

"You're not sending him off a bridge are you?" She asked, quickly taking her phone from him, using her thumb to unlock her phone to make sure he sent Blaine to the right place, relieved to see he did just that.

"Who's this Blaine guy?" Puck questioned, lost on all accounts because he never heard of the guy until now.

"You didn't arrest him when you arrested my girl?" Clint asked, intrigued to know more details about that night.

"Why would he have?" Onyx questioned. "It was a girl's weekend, and Blaine was back home with his brother for his brother's bachelor party. New York and California are not all that close," she told him.

"You did pay attention in geography to know that those two states are on opposite sides of the country, right?" Jeff asked.

"With the rest of the country in-between them," Matt tacked on.

"Laugh it up," Clint bit out. "I know where the States are, thank you very much. I just didn't know he was in one place while Onyx was in another state. I assumed they were having a blast in New York. You can't blame me for thinking that," he sulked.

"I just can't believe that my sister was arrested and she didn't tell me that when we hung out," Jeff said, shaking his head. He found it more amusing than anything else.

"It didn't come up with all those questions you asked," she teased him. "You didn't ask me what my go to game was back when I was kind. Or at what age did I have chicken poxs. Or how miserable I can be while sick, which is off the charts horrible," she informed the room. "You didn't ask about my first kiss, or my first heartbreak. You didn't ask about broken bones, or if I played sports growing up. I can list more questions off to show that we still have a lot more to learn about each other," she told him. She didn't know those things about him either.

"I didn't know that you had a tattoo either," Jeff remarked, pointing at the small tribal elephant tattoo above her right ankle on display.

"I just turned 18 and I wanted it for like two months, so I went and got it done. It's my favorite tattoo that I have," she smiled.

"I prefer the cute little owl in pink, purple and orange on your left cheek," Clint smirked.

"Now I know what you were distracted by this morning," she smiled. That tattoo had been done on her 21st birthday after getting hammered at the bar. She didn't remember much about it, other than when she woke up not only was her head killing her but so was her butt. Never will she get a tattoo while drunk or on her butt again. Lesson learned.

"We don't need to be hearing about this," Sugar tossed out, rubbing her stomach.

"And is anyone going to fill me in on who this Blaine character is?" Puck asked the room again.

"He is Onyx's best friend and her man-of-honor," Clint said, through mostly gritted teeth. "And how can I forget that Miks, knows him as well."

"How so?" Rachel asked, not hearing any of this before now.

"A college fling, it wasn't that serious," Mikki replied. "He's got a new girlfriend, then?" She asked looking at Onyx.

"Yep, and he's moving in with her. Good thing I've got this one in the city, or I'd be pretty lonely in that big city," she smiled, holding the hand of his that rested on the arm of the chair behind her.

"Until you two make your move here," Jeff teased. If they didn't get his hint behind his words, so be it. He did want his sister and his best friend to be closer to them. He had missed out on his sister's life to this point, he didn't want to miss out on more with them separated by multiple states.

"Jeff, I swear you would move them cross country by yourself if it meant that you got your best friend back and your sister closer to you," Sugar mused, slowly rubbing her stomach.

"In a heartbeat," Jeff said, not missing a beat. "There's this cute little house down the street that is for sale. 3 bedrooms, 2 and a half baths. A living room, a dining room, kitchen, laundry room, a den, attic and a basement," he commented. "The inside does need a little work but nothing major. It would be perfect for them," he stated.

"Are you serious?" Onyx asked him, shaking her head. She really couldn't believe that he had gone and checked a house out for her and Clint.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Jeff asked looking at his sister and best friend.

"Because dude," Clint started to say. "You are being a bit pushy. That is why," he finished.

"I know where I stand," Seb laughed.

"If it's any consolation I'm sure you're lovely wife loves you," Jeff laughed.

"That's not a consolation, because I do love him, more than the rest of you do," Mikki smiled, pressing a small kiss to her husband's lips.

"She's my main prize, the rest of you are the consolation prizes," Seb smiled. "I love you most," he whispered against her lips.

"Hey now, I thought we were supposed to be the gross in love couple," Onyx retorted.

"When you're in love, you can't help it," Mikki laughed. "And no one is stopping you from being overly gross with affection," she retorted.

"I am," Jeff quickly spoke up. "There are things that a brother doesn't need to be seeing," he stated.

"Not that you would have a problem if I wasn't your sister," Onyx tossed out, looking at her brother.

"I wouldn't have a problem, but the thing is you are my sister and I don't wish to be seeing you make out with your future husband," he retorted. "Would you be bothered if I was that way with Sugar in front of you?" He asked, placing a hand on his wife's stomach.

"I honestly don't think that I would mind. You're in love, why not show the world or the people you are closest to that you are. There is nothing wrong with it," Onyx stated with a small shrug. She saw no point in hiding the love you feel for someone.

"Your sister has a point," Rachel said. "I don't mind it and Clint is my brother."

"I get the very distinct picture that you would do most anything in public to show your love," Puck commented, with a laugh.

"See his family gets it, why can't you?" Onyx asked with a smug smile on her face. "College me would have done anything and everything in public. Because college me did," she laughed, thinking back to the wilder times she had in college.

"Because it's weird and awkward. I should be the one keeping you from dating my friends not encouraging it," Jeff told her. "I don't need to know about any of that either."

"I hate to break it to you, dear brother of mine, but you wouldn't have been able to keep me away from Clint even if we did grow up together," she stated.

"That's very sweet of you to say, babe," Clint said, quickly kissing her cheek going back to the game on her phone he is playing.

"Why are you playing Candy Crush for? And I've been trying to beat this level for a few days now, how?" She asked, seeing the level he just beat for her.

"You left it unlocked, I was bored, you had the conversation going for the both of us. You need to be smarter than the level. Who's Nick?" He asked. "I ask because he messaged you and wants to meet up with you. Should I know Nick?"

"No, you shouldn't know Nick. We dated for three and half years when I was in high school. He is married, the last I knew anyway," she told him. "I might not even go see him and if I do go, I will be bringing you along with me," she told him.

"Is this the high school sweetheart that married your best friend?" Jeff questioned, recalling that information.

"It is," she nodded in agreement.

"What about Little Nicky?" Blaine asked, entering the living room, behind Puck who had let them in.

"He wants to meet up when we're back in Philadelphia," she explained. "Avery, it's nice to actually meet you," Onyx laughed, looking at the woman who happened to be a few inches shorter than Blaine while wearing heels.

"It's nice to meet you all as well," she replied, having been told who is who, while they took a seat on the couch next to Seb and Mikki.

"How'd you two meet?" Mikki questioned, moving further into her husband's embrace.

"High school. We were lab partners in science, we were gym partner's a few times. Paired together in English a handful of times, our lockers were next to each others. Yet we were barely friends," Blaine shrugged.

"Hold up," Onyx said, a teasing smirk in place. "I couldn't place the name Avery until now. She's the girl you had a massive crush on during high school, you talked non stop about her, and yet you did nothing about it. I'm right, ain't I?" She asked, knowing the answer to her question.

"Yes, you're right," Blaine sighed.

"You do know that I had this big crush on you back then too, didn't you?" Avery asked looking at her boyfriend.

"You did?" He almost shrieked. "I didn't know that," he said shaking his head. "Wish I did, though."

"I'm sure it was hard what with Tina throwing herself at you nearly every day for a year, until she got back together with Mike," Avery sighed.

"Not to mention you were dating the captain of the swim team," he remarked.

"Yeah, well nerdy superheroes were my thing, I just didn't think you noticed me outside of school," she sadly explained.

"I noticed you, Avery," he consoled his girlfriend.

"How long has this been going on?" Onyx asked.

"If you're wondering if she knew about our little arraignment, she did. We were doing the whole open relationship thing because we were long distance and thought it best at the time. But times have changed," Blaine told his best friend.

"See babe, nothing to worry about," Onyx said looking over at Clint.

"Who said I was worried?" He asked, pulling her closer yet, not that she could really move any closer to him. She rolled her eyes, not even needing to answer that question, kissing him lightly on the lips.

They sat around and got to know each other just a little better sharing stories of the horrors of work and they made sure to ask Onyx how the football players were in real life since she got to be around them after they won or lost a game. She made sure to tell stories that weren't horrible and if they did leak out, they wouldn't hurt anyone as they were fun little stories.

"There is something weird going on with you and Blaine," Mikki said, seeing Onyx come into the kitchen to offer her help with the food they would be eating. "I don't know what it is, but I'm going to find out."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mikki," Onyx played it off, checking on a dish in the Crock-Pot.

"Don't play coy with me," she warned, turning back to the stove. "It's clear to see that you love Clint and he loves you. But Blaine won't give a straight answer on how long he has been with Avery. Don't you find that odd?" Mikki asked her.

"You want the truth?" She asked Mikki, looking at the shorter girl. Mikki nodded her head, giving Onyx her full attention. "I don't know how long things with Blaine and Avery have been going on. But this thing with Clint," she sighed, looking around making sure it was just them. "We're not engaged, his real fiancé broke it off with him and he didn't want to burden anyone with that right before the holidays. Everything at Jesse's party is the truth. We are dating, but we weren't when we showed up here. And after this last week with him, I am finding out just how easy it is to fall in love with him. I don't want to see him hurt and if you rush out there and tell the whole room filled with your friends everything, you will be there one hurting him," she finished. "So please, Mikki, don't say a word," Onyx begged.

"I won't say anything because I don't want him to be hurt. And to an extent I can see why you two did it," Mikki sighed. "Even if I don't agree with it."

"He didn't want anyone's pity and he wants the love that all of you guys have out there," Onyx sighed.

"I do think he's finding that with you, because I do see how he looks at you when no one's looking. A look of longing, filled with wonder and love. He's got a softness to his eyes that used to be filled with a hard edgy look. You bring out the best of him. So don't screw it up," Mikki told her, an arrange of emotion crossed her face while talking.

"I don't plan on it," Onyx smiled. "He brings out the best in me too," she shared.

"What are you going to do about the wedding?" Mikki asked.

"What wedding?" Clint questioned, stepping into the room to get a beer from the fridge.

"Mikki knows about us and the ruse," Onyx told him, watching the color drain from his face.

"I'm not telling a soul," Mikki assured him.

"Okay. And I haven't thought about the wedding and what to do about it," he sighed, scratching his head.

"You can call them up and ask them if they have a spot open later in the year and move the date there, because I do believe you're headed to a life of marital bliss, which isn't as happy as one may think," Mikki laughed, helping them out with their little ruse, because after all she is a stickler for love. "But it is a very good happy." Clint and Onyx sharing smiles with each other, that didn't go unnoticed by Mikki.

"I know we're asking a lot from you, Miks, but I do appreciate it and maybe at our wedding, if we do make it that far, we will tell them the truth," he said.

"It would make for a good story before ditching them," Onyx laughed. "But that is a good idea. I might have to make a trip back if this does work out and go wedding dress shopping with Mikki," Onyx suggested with a laugh.

"I wouldn't mind that at all. I'll be ready when you want to do it," Mikki easily agreed.

"Looking to ditch your kids that fast?" Clint laughed, making a move to leave the kitchen, to let them have their girl talk.

"More like my husband," Mikki laughed. "But if this does work out the way I think it will, sign me up and I'm sure that Sugar would come with as well," Mikki commented.

"Of course, I can't forget to have her come along," Onyx smiled. She really liked her sister-in-law, she knew how to keep Jeff in line. "Ember needs to come along as well." Playing pretend didn't hurt when they already thought it was real.

"We can't hurt her feelings," Mikki smiled. "Have you thought about who's going to walk you down the aisle when you get married, considering?" Mikki asked.

"I was thinking about asking Jeff. As he makes the most sense at this point," she shared, seeing Jeff enter the kitchen.

"Asking me what?" Jeff asked, grabbing a can of soda, forgoing a beer.

"To walk me down the aisle. I know you're Clint's best man, but if anyone can pull double duty it's you," she commented.

"I can do both," he smiled. "I would love nothing more than to walk you down the aisle, Onyx," he confirmed, pulling his sister in for a hug.

"Don't mess it up now," Mikki warned, with Jeff now in the living room to share his news with the rest of them.

"Easier said than done," she sighed, turning things off, so everyone could come get some food after they got the kids served first.

With dinner long over with and the kids for the most part passed out in rooms upstairs the adults were left to celebrate the last few hours of the year together. Onyx was pleased to see that Blaine was getting along with Jeff and surprisingly Sebastian. It was like they were all old friends. She even teased Clint about Jeff making a new friend now that Blaine would be living closer, he didn't like that, even if he couldn't do much about it.

"Jeff, sweetie," Sugar said looking calm but on the verge of freaking out. Jeff looked at his wife wondering what was going on. "Hunny, we need to be going to the hospital. They want to make their grand entrance into the world now," she said, pulling Jeff from what he was doing rushing to his wife's side to help her out.

"We'll call or text depending on the hour they arrive," Jeff said, helping his wife, being eerily calm. "The bag is in the car right?" He asked his wife, who nodded her head as she went through what looked to be a painful contraction. He was happy they had installed the car seats the week prior.

"They did say they, right? Or was I hearing things?" Matt asked, looking around the group.

"They're having twins, you didn't hear anything wrong, sweetie," Harlow told him with a smile. "I'm surprised they didn't tell anyone sooner about the twins," she commented.

"I was told at Christmas about the twins and the genders," Onyx spoke up. "They wanted it to be a surprise for everyone, as it was unexpected for them," she stated, getting up. "I know it's going to be awhile before they make their entrance into the world, but I want to be at the hospital," she said looking at her boyfriend, because after all that is what Clint is to her; her boyfriend.

"Yeah, okay," Clint easily agreed wanting to be there for his best friend.

"Wait," Rachel said getting them to stop. "What are the twins?" The rest of the room nodding in agreeance.

"You've waited this long, I am sure you can wait a bit longer," Onyx stated. "Ember is going to be okay for the night, right?" She asked.

"She'll be fine and we will bring her by in the morning to see her little siblings," Mikki smiled.

With that confirmed they made their way out the door and to the hospital that Jeff and Sugar were at. Clint messaged Jeff letting him know they were in the waiting room and that they wouldn't be leaving until the twins were born. Jeff's response was a simple smiley face with the word stubborn.

They sat in the chairs of the waiting room watching the new year's countdown show on the TV in the waiting room, watching different performers signing multiple songs around the country. They barely said anything as they waited.

It wasn't until before the countdown was to begin that Clint got up, pulling Onyx with him. She gave him a curious look.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Getting my new year's kiss," he smiled. "Because if this trip home has taught me anything is that, maybe little miracles can happen," he said, hearing them at the count of 5.

"Same here," she whispered against his lips, no longer listening to the final countdown on the TV. While kissing Clint the TV went away, the fact they were in a waiting room waiting for her nephews to be born didn't even register to her. It was only her and Clint together, their tongues dancing in perfect sync.


	6. Chapter 6

**Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita, she can't be used without her permission. Onyx belongs to me and I do think it goes without saying that you need to ask permission to use her. The recognizable characters belong to Ryan Murphy and Glee. The Blue Duck is a real place in Philadelphia and everything they ordered is on the menu, the restaurant belongs to its owner.**

 **This chapter has been cut in half. I am not sure when I wil have the next part up as I am still in the process of writing it and need to move parts around to make a bit more sense. Enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

They had been back in Philadelphia for two days now, and she had to meet with her boss at some point in the week, and she had made plans to meet up with Nick, making sure Nick knew that Clint would be coming with her, which he had no problem with because his wife was coming along as well.

Speaking of her boyfriend, she hasn't seen him since the night they got back into town. They talked on the phone, or texted throughout the day and most the night, but work kept them busy, far too busy to carve out any time for each other. That would change as she didn't need to spend all day at work, and she had went in and did what she had to do as her boss was out of the office, so that meeting would need to be held off a bit longer. The idea was very appealing for her to spend some time with Clint before they would be meeting Nick and his wife for lunch, as he organized half the day off from work.

She kept in contact with Jeff and Sugar, both of them keeping her up to date on Jasper and Jett. She joked about them naming Jett after her, because his name did mean black mineral or black gemstone. Jeff laughed and never gave her a straight answer either way. Sugar, however, told her that when he found out about the sister he didn't know he had was named Onyx, he changed the name of one of his boys. Onyx adored the name. And loved her brother just a bit more for it.

The smile she wore slipped from her face, walking up to her boyfriend's place seeing him standing outside talking to who she remembered from a few pictures as his ex. The idea of walking way seemed ideal, taking a closer look at the two of them, seeing how tense her boyfriend is, she marched up to them a real smile for her boyfriend and a fake smile for the witch that hurt him. She wouldn't let the ex win.

"Hey," she said greeting her boyfriend, fitting into his side. He smiled leaning down to press a soft kiss against her lips, holding her close to him. The tension he held while talking to his ex, melted away with her in his arms.

"Hey," he whispered pulling away from her.

"Excuse you!" The ex screeched. Onyx turned her head to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" Onyx asked overly sweet.

"You can back off. I am having a conversation with my fiancée," she stated. Onyx held her laughter in, shushing Clint in the process.

"First off, Madison, he is my fiancée, see the ring?" She questioned, holding her left hand up, feeling her boyfriend's fingers dig into her waist a bit tighter at that revelation. "And secondly what makes you think that he wants to be with you after you broke his heart and made him look like a fool?" Onyx questioned.

"Love," she stated matter-of-factly.

"You think hurting the person you love the way you did, is real love? You can't walk away and come back when it suits you. He has moved on to someone better. I love him for him and nothing else," she smiled at him. "We're on an equal playing field here, unlike how you think you can call the shots. So what do you think you can give him that I can't? Huh, Madison?" Onyx asked.

"A family," she snapped.

"Your family or his?" Onyx questioned. "Because I can give him my family and his family. And I can give him a family all of his own, something you don't want, isn't that right, Madison?" She asked. On the plane ride home, she got curious about his ex-fiancée. He told her the answers to all the questions she asked.

"Are you seriously going to let her talk for you?" She asked looking at Clint.

"Sure," he answered. "If you can't take the massive hint that I don't want anything to do with you, she can do all the talking. I don't mind," he shrugged, kissing Onyx's temple. "I have moved on. And I love this woman, in ways I didn't know possible. I am marrying her, not you," Clint stated matter of factly. "Madison, it's time you move on," he told her.

"The thing is, you did him a huge favor in breaking it off with him. He found someone to treat him as an equal and well you won't ever find someone better than this man. I am the lucky one," she smiled up at him. "You can leave now and don't come back again," she stated, not even looking at the other woman. "Let's go practice making those babies," she smirked.

"Now that is something that I can get into," he laughed, pulling her into the building, neither one paying any attention to his ex. "I can back out of the picture if you want to go after Madison and try to make things work with her," she told her boyfriend, walking up the flight of stairs to his apartment.

"If I wanted that, I would have said so while she was here not that I have fallen for you in ways that I have ever loved her. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I do love you, Onyx," he said pulling her into his body.

"I love you too, so we can be crazy in love together," she laughed, pulling him down for a searing kiss, in the middle of the hallway.

"Think we should move this inside and not give the neighbors a show?" He chuckled, pulling his keys from his pocket.

"That would be a good idea," she giggled, walking into his place once he opened the door. "Having my way with you is what I was thinking about while on my way over here, but I should fill you in about Nick and Marley," she told him, pulling him over to the couch.

"What more do I need to know?" He asked. She already told him they dated three years in high school and that he is now married to her former best friend. What else could there be?

"The reason on why we broke up," she sighed. It's a subject she doesn't enjoy talking about and if she could leave it behind in the past she would. But it wouldn't be fair to Clint. "We didn't grow apart or break up because of college, we talked about making it work while in different states."

"Then what happened?" He asked softly, once she stopped talking and didn't seem like she would continue without being pushed just a bit.

"We were stupidly in love and thought nothing could hurt us or pull us apart. Turns out we were wrong. We talked about our future after college, getting married and having a family, that sort of thing. Anyway, we had this pregnancy scare and um it wasn't so much a scare as it turned out to be true," she told him, pushing him away to get up and pace the living room.

"You don't have to tell me about anything you're not comfortable with sharing," he said, getting up to block her path, holding her tight, placing a kiss to her head. "I get you telling me is important and I want to hear everything you want to tell me, and that's the thing Onyx," he said, pulling back to fully look at her. "Don't tell me this if you don't want to. Wanting to tell me and needing to tell me are two very different things and whatever you have to say it's not going to change the way I feel about you," he assured her, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I do want to tell you," she told him softly. "And it's not because I need to or that I have to tell you. The longer we're together the more important this information is going to be," she said, moving them back over to the couch. "And you can't be certain that this information isn't going to hurt you and you'll see me differently," she sighed.

"I can promise you that nothing you tell me is going to make me see you as this amazing, strong, beautiful woman that I get to call my girlfriend," he told her, lacing his hand with hers.

"I guess we'll see about that," she muttered under her breath. Clint kissing her insecurities away. She smiled softly pulling away from the kiss. "One minute your whole world falls away because of a mistake," she started to say jumping right into what she has to tell him. "The next minute the one little thing you are not ready for but already cherish is gone and everything you wanted to do before is suddenly back on the table, except your relationship because it's broken and you can't stop any of it from happening," she told him, a few select tears running down her face. Clint is there to wipe her tears away, with his thumbs.

"I am sorry that you went through that and I know it doesn't help with the pain you felt while going through it or the pain when you think back to it, but I am sorry that you went through that and that he left you, when he should have been there for you," he told her, hating this Nick guy just a bit more than before.

"It wasn't all on him, though," she stated. "I did push him away and ignore him whenever I could. It was on me too," she shrugged. "And I do appreciate it," she smiled.

"Don't matter if you pushed him away and ignored him. I wouldn't have been stupid enough to let you do that," he said, pulling her in to kiss her temple. "You're too precious to let go in any fashion."

"That's good for me then," she smiled, wrapping her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. "I couldn't be with him after that, knowing what we lost. It hurt. And even if we did stay together, it would have ended and I would still be here with you, which is where I want to be at," she smiled, placing a kiss to his shoulder.

"I want you here as well," he smiles, pulling her to sit in his lap. "Thank you for sharing it with me," he told her, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. Her reply was her lips melting into his, the only words she needed to share with him.

With their talk about Nick over with and her filling him on that she simply lost contact with Marley over the years after her wedding to Nick. She made sure that he knew that she held no ill feelings towards either one of them. And that she is excited to be seeing them again after the no contact the last few years.

She told him little stories from when she was in high school. That a group of bullies had brought her and Marley together as friends at a young age. That she actually didn't want to date Nick the first time he asked her out, she liked his best friend, but she finally caved after Nick asked her out for the tenth time in the span of a week.

"I can't say I blame the guy," he retorted parking his car in the parking lot for **The Blue Duck**. "Look what I did to get you to be my girlfriend," he laughed, turning his car off.

"Not much better at all," she laughed. "You made me fall in love in with your friends and family first," she teased.

"Don't forget your family," he pointed out, opening his car door, Onyx following suit.

"Kind of hard to forget about them," she smiled at the mention of her family in Texas, linking her hand with his as they walked across the parking lot. "You really knew how to rope me in," she teased.

"I was only able to rope you in because you wanted me to," he smirked, roping his arm around her shoulders, holding tight to her hand he is holding. "Just like that," he teased, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"That may be true," she remarked. "At least I love you so it does work in your favor," she remarked, pulling the door open, spotting her ex high school sweetheart and her long time best friend, waiting at a square table against the wall. "Nick, Marley, this is Clint, my boyfriend. Sweetie, these two are my old friends, Nick and Marley," she introduced, taking the seat Clint pulled out for her.

"You mean fiancée, babe," Clint smiled, taking his own seat next to her.

"Of course," she laughed it off. "So what's happening in your guy's life?" She asked, looking the menu over.

"That's the reason why we asked to meet up with you," Marley nervously said, fiddling with her hands on the table. Nick quick to cover her hands with his own.

"It's nothing bad," he assured. "Things between us have been tough over the last year and a half," he announced.

"Tough how?" Onyx asked, looking up from the menu at her friends.

"We talked about getting a divorce after going to therapy didn't help us," Marley sighed. "We had a little girl a year after the wedding and things were good until they weren't. But we have talked through everything together like we should have done to start with instead of letting it all build up. And we're pregnant again," Marley smiled, moving a hand to rest against her stomach. "6 months."

"And we want you to be the godmother," Nick offered.

"We thought about asking you for our little girl, but that honor went to my cousin Mikayla and her husband Sebastian," Marley said. "And things with us did feel a bit strained."

"Smythe?" Clint asked promptly cutting Marley off.

"Yes, how'd you know?" Marley questioned.

"It is really funny how small this world has turned out to be," Onyx laughed, shaking her head. "And it's fine really."

"Are you guys ready to order?" Their waitress asked, walking up to the table. The group shared looks and seeing if any of them need any more time to look over the menu.

"We're ready," Clint said for the group. "I'll have the salt and pepper fries, and I'll have the Beast of (Northeast) Philly, with a coke," he ordered.

"I'll have the same but with an iced tea," Onyx ordered.

"I'll have the Fried Chicken Sandwich with a water," Marley ordered with a smile.

"And I will have the Pork Roll Burger with a coke," Nick ordered.

"Okay, will this be one bill or separate?" She asked, looking at the four of them.

"Separate," Nick said, the others agreeing. "I have mine and hers," he said motioning to Marley.

"And I have ours," Clint said, talking about him and Onyx.

"Alright, your drinks and fries will be out shortly," she smiled, walking off.

"Okay, now do explain how you know my cousin," Marley said, curious to know how they knew each other but not that she was Mikki's cousin.

"I personally just met her over Christmas," Onyx said. "But I do need to take the story a bit further back. As her husband came here to find me," she said, recalling the story of finding out that her dad wasn't her biological father and that she has a brother out there, who they probably know if they do visit Mikki and meet the people in her life. She went on to explain that her brother happened to be Clint's best friend growing up and it was something they learnt upon arrival. "In the short time of knowing Mikki and Sebastian, I do think I have gotten close to them," she said. If Mikki helping them out with their ruse had anything to say about it.

"Damn, Onyx. Have you met your actual father?" Nick questioned.

"No," she said shaking her head. "It's not something I want to do right now. He's not my father. Blood didn't change that and I get that he may not have had anything to do with my mom keeping me from him, but I want to uncomplicate everything else in my life."

"It's really crazy," Marley stated. "I remember your dad being so great about everything that he never seemed like he was a step father."

"I know it," she sighed. The waitress bringing out their drinks and the fries that Clint ordered. "But um yeah, that's how are lives for entwined a bit further when Seb showed up at my door. It did throw us for a loop finding out my brother Jeff is his best friend as we never used last names."

"It is crazy that neither one of you guys knew that," Nick commented.

"It's not that crazy," Onyx commented. "I never met Mikki, and when Marley talked about her growing up she would call her Mikayla," Onyx shrugged.

"By the time Mikki and Seb married, I wasn't living in Texas any longer. Though I am sure we briefly saw each other at their wedding," he suggested, looking at Marley. "I made it late to the ceremony and had to cut out of the reception early for my flight. I needed to be in two places that weekend," he quickly explained.

"You really like to double book yourself," Onyx commented, picking a fry up to eat.

"That has changed now that I have you in my life, dear," he commented, carefully tossing his arm around her chair, pressing a small kiss to her temple.

"Now we are off topic," Onyx laughed softly, turning to look at her friends. "May I ask who the godfather is?" She inquired.

"Thad," Nick told her. "You remember Thad, don't you?" He asked with a laugh.

"How could I forget sweet little Thad," she laughed. "Seriously, the guy is the sweetest, or he was, I haven't seen him for years now," she said turning to look at Clint. "But he was always the first one to get into trouble. It was never a dull moment with him around," she smiled fondly at the old memories swimming around in her head.

"He's still very much like that," Marley laughed. "You can take the time it needs to talk this over with your fiancée, that's fine," she went on to explain.

"I don't think this is something that I have a lot of say in," Clint said, shushing his girlfriend, or was she his fiancée now? He would be clearing that mess up ASAP. "I support whatever you do, Onyx. You know this," he told her. "This choice is all yours," he assured her.

"You still have a say in it," she told him.

"I am okay with what you want here," he told her kissing the tip of her nose.

"Okay," she smiled, turning back to her friends. "If Thad is going to be The godfather for your little one, they are going to need someone to keep Thad in line," she laughed. "I'm honored that you asked me and of course I will gladly be the godmother," she smiled. "Now tell me boy or girl?"

"We'll know next month, the baby hasn't been the most cooperative," Nick told her.

"Much like its daddy," Onyx laughed, shooting Nick a look. Marley quick to agree and tease her husband.

When their food arrived, they were quick to dig into their food, Onyx moving her crispy sriracha onions onto Clint's plate, Clint chuckling at her actions.

"Same old Onyx," Nick laughed. "Why didn't you just request them to be held?"

"Because sometimes I don't mind eating them, nowadays," she shrugged. "He doesn't mind," she tossed out.

"Not one bit," he smiled, adding her onions onto his burger. "I'm not the one that has to be kissing me throughout the day," he laughed.

"No one here is saying that I have to be kissing you, at least not on the lips," she smirked evilly.

"New topic please," Nick spoke up. "Some of us are trying to eat and not have it come back up," he said.

"That is very true," Marley said. "Besides you can give the details later. This one has an important meeting, so I was thinking that if you were free that we could spend some time together," she suggested.

"Don't turn your friend down on my account," Clint told her. "I know we were going to spend the rest of today together, but I do have a bit of stuff that needs to be worked on at the office with our trip to Texas over the holidays. Go have fun with your friend and I will see after," Clint told her.

"You're making me very suspicious," Onyx stated, looking at Clint. "An afternoon with my best friend from my childhood, sounds really refreshing right now," she smiled.

"You've got nothing to be suspicious about," Clint said, squeezing her hand. "I'd be stupid to do anything that would make you leave me," he finished saying. She smiled at her boyfriend, turning back to her own meal.

For the remaining duration of lunch they learnt more about the past few years for all of them; learning more about Clint.

"Onyx, I'm happy that you found a guy like Clint," Nick told her. Marley was off in the bathroom and Clint took off now that they had finished eating. "You deserve a guy like him."

"Thanks, Nick," she smiled. "He's something else. In a good way," she told him seeing the question wrote on his face. "And you best believe that I will be requesting to see pictures of your little girl," she told him.

"I can do you one better," he told her. "Come with Marley after your girl afternoon and you'll be able to see her," he told her. "She's with my ma. She found out that I would be here, and she insisted she come along because it's been ages since she saw you," he chuckled. "And she is quite taken with her granddaughter," he smiled.

"I bet she is and I've missed your mom," she laughed. "I'll be there. You do know that Clint will most likely be with me right?" She questioned.

"Onyx, she'll want to meet him too, it's fine, I swear it," he assured her. "Now if you excuse me, I am going to go say bye to my wife," he said getting up from the table.

While she is left alone, she pulls her phone out of her pocket sending Clint a new message. **'I'll meet you at your office. Going to see Nick's mom and their baby. You've been invited.'** She types out quickly, hitting send seeing Marley walk up to her.

"Ready?" Marley questions.

"Yes," Onyx smiles, getting up. "Anything in particular that you want to be doing?" Onyx asked walking through the restaurant.

"Have you found your wedding dress, yet?" Marley asked, following behind her friend.

"I haven't even began to look for one. Without mom it's hard," Onyx shrugged, holding the door open for Marley.

"I didn't even think about that," Marley told her sadly. "You wouldn't mind if we take a look at wedding dresses, do you?" She asks.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt and we can have fun with it," Onyx smiled. She is starting to get in over her head when it came to this fake wedding. But, would it hurt to look at wedding dresses? The worst thing that could happen is she finds _the_ dress, for when she is going to be walking down the aisle to become someone's wife. "I've got my best friend with me so it can't be that bad," she teased.

"Not at all," Marley smiled. "You came with me, and I do want to repay the favor. And I have been curious as to what type of wedding dress you would choose," she laughed softly.

"I am not even sure," Onyx laughed. "Marls, you don't need to repay the favor," Onyx told her.

"I know, but I want to," Marley smiled.

"Okay," Onyx agreed, knowing better than to argue a mute point. "I am not going to ask you this because I feel like I have to ask, because we have been friends since we've been in diapers, and you know me and get me in ways I don't think anyone ever will," she explained, unlocking the doors to Clint's car. He left her the keys, so she could use his car, since her car was at her place. Turns out they only live three blocks from each other.

"I am sure at this point that fiancée of yours knows more about you than I know with the years of distance and space between us," Marley commented, pulling the driver side door open.

"I don't know about that," Onyx commented, getting in the driver's seat. "It feels like I have so much about him to learn. But I don't know if I ever want to learn everything about him," she shrugged.

"I feel you there," she nodded. "I know the important things when it comes to Nick, but I learn new things about him weekly."

"I do remember the multiple layers that make Nick up," she laughed.

"You're not mad or sad or anything like that because we're pregnant with our second baby and you lost yours. Are you?" Marley asked. She would hate herself if she ever made her friend feel that way.

"I'm happy, excited, ecstatic for you two to be expanding your family, Marls. I mean it when I say that you two are perfect for each other. I have nothing against your marriage with Nick. You fit with him better than I ever did," she assured her childhood friend. "Want to see if Mikki is busy?" She asked, looking for a parking spot.

"Yeah, I can. Why?" Marley questions, taking her phone out.

"I promised she could come wedding dress shopping. Just don't tell her why. It's a good bet that she doesn't know we're friends, so let's surprise her, when we get into the bridal shop," Onyx told her. Marley nodding and sending a message to her older cousin.

"You do know that we got off topic and you never did ask me anything," Marley pointed out with a chuckle.

"Of course I didn't," Onyx laughed. "Will you be a bridesmaid?" She asked. "I'm not certain on the date or anything like that, but I want you there with me." With the way she felt about Clint after the short amount of time they've been together, it felt safe to let herself believe the ring on her finger is real and not as fake as it once was.

"You don't even need to ask," Marley smiled. "I'll be happy to do it."

"Good, now let's go look at pretty dresses and surprise Mikki," Onyx laughed, getting out of the car, locking the doors behind them.

In no time at all they had a salesperson right there to assist them in finding the right dress. Marley taking a seat to FaceTime with her cousin.

"What is going on, Marls?" Mikki asked with a laugh answering her cousins request. "And why are you in a bridal shop for?"

"It's a real funny story," Marley laughed. "I'm with my childhood best friend, she's looking for her wedding dress," Marley said with a smile.

"You're hiding something," Mikki pointed out. "I know you by now. So what are you hiding?" Mikki asked.

"You'll find out in a minute," Marley laughed, glancing up to see Onyx walking her way in a white strapless dress the skirt covered in feathers.

"I don't think so," Marley laughed, looking at her friend, Onyx sticking her tongue out at her friend.

"Let's get the opinion of the second judge, shall we?" Onyx asked, walking behind Marley to get into the frame. "Hey Mikki," Onyx smiled. "I do believe you have met my best friend since diapers," she laughed.

"I have," Mikki laughed. "This world keeps shrinking," she tacked on. "And you look as if big bird has been bleached," she stated, seeing the whole dress with Onyx in it.

"Gee thanks for that," Onyx laughed. "You need a few ugly dresses for the right one to mean something, right?" She asked.

"Yes," Marley quickly said.

"We all know finding the right dress is a huge process," Mikki said. "And do for the sake of us, go put bleached big bird away," Mikki told her. "And find something a little less feathery."

"I will try," Onyx laughed, walking to the back.

"How is it to be married to your best friend's ex?" Mikki questioned in a teasing tone.

"Weird for the most part," Marley sighed. "I know she is okay with it, but I still feel like there is some sort of resentment there."

"Marls, I don't know how she was with Nick but I know how she is with Clint and it's hard to top how in love she is with him."

"I've seen them both first hand and I can say that I have never seen her so happy, and so in love with anyone; what she had with Nick doesn't come close to what she has with Clint," Marley stated.

"Then there you go, Marls. Stop stressing over it. I'm sure that if she has a problem or even had a problem with it, she would have told you so," Mikki told her younger cousin.

"You should listen to your cousin, because if I did have a problem with you and Nick I would have said something before you two ever got serious. I'm happy for you and him and I'm even more happy about my own relationship," Onyx stressed to her friend. "Thoughts?" She questioned, spinning in a circle.

"Those slits make you look like a stripper dressing up for a strip show," Marley said, shaking her head, seeing the slits in the skirt went to the small belt around her waist, showing the white lace skirt underneath.

"Are you getting married or performing a strip show for your future husband?" Mikki asked.

"I thought this one was cute," Onyx laughed. "I guess not," she said taking her leave, to change into the next dress.

"How are you doing with this pregnancy?" Mikki questioned, knowing of the few complications Marley went through during her first pregnancy with Maisy.

"Better for the most part, it's been a very cautious pregnancy, that's for sure. Whether it be Nick, my parents or his to our doctor, it's been a lot of questions and a few select tests to make sure everything is good," Marley replied. "Now this dress is a bit on the pink side and it's not a good look for you, Hun," Marley said, seeing her friend emerge from the changing room.

"The big bird explosion is better than this one," Mikki commented.

"Can I ever please you two?" Onyx asked. She wasn't fond of the pink color for a wedding dress. "I can always go with one of the many pant suits they have for a wedding dress," she teased.

"Please don't," Mikki laughed.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Onyx laughed. "I've got one more to try on before I reveal the one that I am genuinely in love with," she told them, quickly making her way to the changing room.

"Marley, you know they only ask and pester you about it all is because they care about the health of you and the little one you are carrying," Mikki told her.

"I know and I don't mind," Marley smiled. "Oh hey Seb," she said, seeing her cousin's husband pop up on screen.

"Hey Marley, why are you in a dress shop for?" He asked, kissing his wife hello.

"Oh no, babe, you got to wait to see just like I had to," Mikki laughed.

"And you'll know in a few seconds," Marley said. "Did they run out of lace making that dress?" She asked.

"No idea," Onyx shrugged. "Hey Sebastian," Onyx smiled.

"This is odd," Seb stated. "I mean that dress and not the situation," he laughed.

"The lace ruffles look hungry and like they are about to eat you," Mikki seriously stated. "I hope your next and last dress is better than what we have seen. Or so help me," Mikki muttered.

"What's got Mikki in that mood?" Jeff asked, peering over Mikki's shoulder. "Yikes, they shouldn't be trying to sell you that dress, sis," he retorted.

"Okay, I'm going to change now," Onyx laughed, heading off.

"Don't you two have something better to be doing?" Mikki asked, looking at her husband and his best friend.

"It can wait," Jeff said. "I'd like to see my sister's wedding dress," he promptly replied.

"Why?" Marley questioned.

"Because I've missed out on everything else, I don't want to miss anything else when I don't have to," he responded.

"Okay," Marley shrugged. "So you're my best friend's brother," she smiled.

"Guilty as charged," he laughed "And you're the friend who married her ex, I presume. That does make Nick the ex," he says, taking it all in, with the nod Marley gave him. Ever since he met Nick years ago they got along and became good friends. Funny how he had that connection to his sister right under his nose.

"You can call me Marley," she told him with a laugh.

"Why didn't we meet Onyx at your wedding?" Mikki questioned, she didn't remember Onyx at all.

"You sort of did," Marley sighed. "You don't remember because it was a crazy time for her work wise, she didn't make it to all the events. She was a bridesmaid."

"I had jet black hair cut short. Almost a pixie cut, but a bit longer," Onyx said, appearing on screen, hiding her dress from most everyone. "The rude bridesmaid, that was me," she shrugged. "But in my defense I flew in late because of work and I had an early flight for work," she shrugged. "As much as you don't remember me, I didn't remember any of you."

"It's crazy," Jeff stated. "Our paths have crossed, and we didn't know it."

"It's not like we knew we were related. At least I didn't," Onyx shrugged.

"Okay, let's see this dress now," Mikki said, breaking up the sibling moment. "You two can discuss this on your own time," she told them.

"I do want to be knowing about the twins," Onyx said, backed up, Marley doing what she needed to do to get Onyx fully on the screen, all four of them growing quiet.

"Is this a good quiet or a bad quiet?" Onyx asked, nervously biting the corner of her bottom lip.

"Wow," Jeff whispered. "You're going to blow Clint away," he chuckled lightly. "You're a vision, Onyx."

"Really?" Onyx questioned, running her hands over the dress.

"Onyx, that dress is made for you, personally," Mikki told her.

"You look stunning, Onyx. You've found your dress, sweetie," Marley told her.

Onyx smiled, turning to admire herself in the mirrors, while Marley wrapped up the chat with Mikki and the guys. The dress did scream her. Her perfect dress is a strapless sweetheart, floor length empire ball gown with a court train. Black lace floral print covered the corset of the dress, the floral print flaring off on the skirt of the dress.

Now that she has a dress, she really needs to be having a very serious talk with her boyfriend.

* * *

"Are you sure that it's okay that I come with?" Clint asked, from the backseat of his own car. He met them in the parking lot, not wanting to make them wait or even mess with coming up to his office. "I don't want to intrude," he said.

"You're not intruding," Marley told him, looking back at him.

"I'm practically family to Elaine, and she'll want to meet the boy I am with," Onyx smiled, looking at him in the rearview mirror.

"What to make sure I am good enough for you?" He joked. "I have already gotten your brother's approval."

"I didn't think you needed anyone's approval?" She asked coming to a stop at a red light.

"I don't need the approval, but it is nice to have it once it is given to you," he retorted with a smirk.

"That is true," Marley said, cutting into their conversation. "Onyx, there is something that Nick didn't tell you and I think you should know it before walking into the hotel room. Nick should be the one telling you this," Marley rambled out.

"Marls you're scaring me here. What's going on that I need to know about?" Onyx asked, parking the car in the parking lot for the hotel.

"The real reason why we came here. We figured we would talk to you as well, so we don't have to make a double trip," she said, still making no sense on what happened to be going on. "It's about Elaine," she sighed.

"How sick is she?" Onyx asked, her gut telling her the direction that Marley is going in.

"Could be terminal cancer, she was referred to a doctor here for further testing. It's been hard on Nick. Going through this with his mom made him want to reconnect with those in his life. And I wasn't about to turn down a chance to be friends with my best friend again," she explained.

"That's shitty," Onyx sighed. "I can't go in there and act normal now," she said, running a hand through her hair.

"Babe, why don't you go talk to Nick," Clint suggested, seeing the man in question walking across the parking lot.

"You really should," Marley told her, opening the door. "And if you don't come up, I will send you pictures of Maisy. But I do think you should see Elaine before we leave in a few days," Marley told her.

"I will and Marley, I had fun today," Onyx smiled.

"Same here," Marley smiled, getting out of the car, calling for her husband.

"You really don't mind that I go talk to Nick alone?" She asked, turning to look at her boyfriend.

"I don't mind at all, Onyx. I think it is something that you need to be doing," he told her. "And I can totally see the bench there," he teased. She rolled her eyes.

"Okay," she sighed, pushing her door open. "I'll motion for you if I decide we should go up there," she told him.

"Hey Onyx," he said, getting her attention; when she turned around to look at him; he pulled her in for a kiss. "In case you forgot I love you," he whispered against her lips.

"I haven't," she smiled, lightly pressing her lips against his. "Have you forgotten that I love you?" She asked against his lips.

"How can I?" He questioned. "Now get," he teasingly told her, gently pushing her toward the door of the car.

"I'm going," she laughed, climbing out of the car. She didn't need to look back to know that he moved from the back of the car to the driver's seat. "I'm guessing you're waiting on me," she chuckled, joining him on the bench.

"I guess so," he replied. "Marley ratted me out, huh?" He asked, running a hand through his hair, leaning forward, his elbows digging into his legs.

"I get why you didn't say anything, Nick. I went through this stuff twice and I never wanted to let anyone in. Is it that bad?" She asked, possibly fearing the worst. She grew a close bond with Elaine in the time she had been friends with Nick long before they dated.

"I feel really helpless. Every doctor says the same thing. She refuses to do any more treatment. I thought maybe an old family friend could convince her otherwise and try something else or give her better news than all the doctors we've been too," he sighed.

"How long does she have?" She asked. She wasn't about to tell him sorry for everything he is going through with his mom as she hated when people didn't know what else to say, and they would say sorry.

"Six months, a year if we're lucky," he shrugged.

"Dude, that's rough," she said shaking her head. "Would it be okay if you before guys left that you stopped by my place for dinner?" She asked him. "I would go up there but I'm sure your mom is tired from the day she had," she added.

"You'd be right about that," he nodded. " So the dinner sounds wonderful. I'll let you know for sure when," he said getting up. "I know I've told you before but I never meant to hurt you when we were dating."

"I know, and I am sure I hurt you more. I've forgiven you for all of that years ago," she said, standing up facing him. "Life has turned out ridiculously crazy in a good way for us. We learnt from what went wrong with us, Nick. Please forgive yourself for it," she told him, placing a hand on his upper arm.

"I've forgiven you ten times over," he chuckled bitterly. "I can't seem to do that with myself. I try but nothing happens and I still hate that it happened, ya know?"

"I hate it happened too," she told him soothingly. "But you have an amazing life with Marley with a little girl and one more on the way. Take a moment and morn that loss we had in high school and let it go. You'll feel so much better," she told him.

"I can do that," he smiled weakly. "Making amends is fun," he laughed.

"Says you," she retorted, pulling him in for a hug. "Take care. Tell your mom I say hi and do let me know when you're coming for dinner," she warned.

"Scouts honor," he told her looking every part as a boy scout.

"Honor my butt," she laughed. "They kicked you out within the first two weeks," she said shaking her head, walking to Clint's car, sending Nick a wave as he said bye.

"How'd that go?" Clint asked her, making sure the heat was on full blast to warm her up from being out in the cold weather.

"It put a few things into perspective for me," she stated, pulling the seat belt across her body. "Let's spend the night eating last nights Chinese food and watching movies curled up on your couch or your bed, and tomorrow we can have a more serious talk about everything," she suggested. She knew he had left over Chinese food, as he did mention it to her when they were texting before they called it a night.

"We can do that," he smirked, pulling out of the parking space. "I've got a few things to talk to you about," he told her. "Did you have fun with Marley?"

Onyx nodded telling him that she enjoyed spending her day with her best friend that is the same sex as her. She left out everything to do with finding a wedding dress as she didn't want to get into that one quite yet. She asked him about his work that needed to be done, and he gave her small vague answers enough to keep her suspicion at bay.


	7. Chapter 7

"You've been awfully quiet since dinner, babe," Clint commented on the silence of the room, his fingers running along her arm.

"I've been thinking," she responded, growing quiet once more.

"What about?" He prompted, not getting anything else from her. "Anything that I can help with?" He asked, tightening his hold on her.

"I do think that we should go through with the wedding, but I don't think it should be the same date or the same venue," she told him once she was curled up to him in bed, tracing a random patterns over his bare chest. "I have fallen in love with you, fast and hard. And it's perfect as our friends already believe us to be engaged."

"I feel the same way. As crazy as it sounds, fast and hard is the right way to put how I have fallen in love with you," he stated, pulling her in for a kiss. "We can change it all, hold off on the wedding if it makes things easier for you," he commented. He didn't want her to rush into marriage. He didn't want to rush into a lifelong commitment of marriage without really knowing for sure.

"I don't want to have our wedding anniversary the same day you were to wed your ex or get married in the place you two picked out," she told him "I want our day to be just ours," she explained. She wanted to have a day that was all about them and the love they have for each other. And not to be reminded of the love he shared with someone else.

"I can do that," he told her. He didn't want to have that either, now that he thought about it. Their day should be special for them and not a reminder of anything else. "Do you have something in mind?" He questioned.

"Do I?" She asked back with a laugh, moving from his warm and loving embrace, grabbing his shirt from the night before off the floor, slipping it on as she headed to the living room to grab his laptop, to show him the venue she had taken too. With his girlfriend back in bed with him, he took to looking through the pictures they had, and he couldn't deny that the place seemed to be more them. "I don't want you to worry about the price," she told him.

"Onyx how much is it?" He asked her. Trying to figure out things in his head, on what he would need to do to save up the money and how long it would take him to do so. To him the price didn't matter, as long as he got to call Onyx his wife. He felt for her and knew that her wedding day should be nothing short of special.

"When my dad passed away he had money saved up for the day that I would get married, I am not allowed to use it for anything else. I haven't needed any of that money, until now for our wedding," she rushed out. "And it depends, really," she shrugged.

"Okay, but how much is it? And it depends on what?" He asked again, tempting to fully take the laptop from her, so he could look it up. She refused to let go.

"Do you want a Friday, Saturday or a Sunday wedding?" She asked him.

"We really can't have a Sunday wedding when almost everyone needs to be at work on a Monday," he worked out. "I do think I would rather have a Saturday wedding over a Friday one. How does that sound to you?" He questioned.

"That sounds fine and makes perfect sense," she told him. "Now we need to make sure they have an opening in April, May or June," she sighed. She really wanted to have a spring wedding.

"If they don't it's not the worst thing in the world," he told her. "We will find a different date is all," he assured her. "Now how much?"

"My dad left me 35,000 dollars," she told him. He gave her a look, that wasn't the price he wanted to know, and she knew it. "Okay it will cost approximately 10 grand," she shared, he whistled at the price.

"I know why your dad did what he did with putting that money up, but I feel wrong if I don't pitch in for our wedding," he told her, moving the laptop from her lap.

"There is a honeymoon, that you can be planning," she teased him.

"I've got that covered and don't worry it's not what I was planning before with my ex, as she couldn't get any time off work for a honeymoon, so I never planned one," he told her. In the little time he knew Onyx, he could piece together the perfect honeymoon without needing to look any of it up, knowing the perfect spot.

"That is good to know," she smiled, curling further into his side, tossing a leg over one of his. "You know I never expected to be here, even after agreeing to be your fake fiancée. I do love it though," she told him, running her finger tips over his jaw, feeling his stubble, tickling her fingers.

"My thoughts exactly," he chuckled, capturing her left hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers, playing with the ring she wore. "Even this little ring?" He questioned. "I can get you a new one that means a bit more to you," he said. He did want her to have a ring that was special for her and not any ring they picked up for cheap on the way to the airport.

"This one means a lot to me," she told him. "It's our history as a couple," she smiled. Everything they have gone through in the short period of time they've been together. "I don't want another ring. I don't need a big flashy ring to be happy. This one is perfect," she stated.

"If you're sure," he said.

"I am," she smiled up at him. "I wouldn't mind going out on a date though," she suggested.

"I think I have the perfect idea," he smiled, moving his gaze from the ring to his fiancée. "For tonight," he informed her.

"That means I need to be going home to get ready," she pouted, moving further into her fiancé.

"We can move this party to your place," he chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "I can pack what I need, and we can spend the night at your place," he suggested.

"I do like that idea," she smiled, slipping from the bed, in search of her clothes. "We should discuss that," she commented, taking her search to his living room looking for any stray clothes.

"Discuss what?" He asked, holding up the article of clothing she happened to be looking for.

"Living together," she said, grabbing them from him, standing on her toes, to plant a kiss to his lips. "We're getting married, we should live together."

"Like in that house down the street from your brother?" He inquired.

"I wouldn't mind living in that house," she agreed, slipping past him, for the rest of her clothes or at the very least her skirt from the day prior. "Is that why you ask, because you want to move back home?" She questioned.

"I do," he nodded. "But my home is wherever you are, Onyx."

"That's really sweet," she smiled. "As much as I want to move there, I don't know if it's possible. Give me a few days to think about it?"

"Of course," he agreed, pulling her in for a hug. "For now we can live here in my place or at yours."

"Mine," she easily commented. "It's bigger and not as messy," she told him, looking around his place.

"Fair enough," he commented. He couldn't move without her and to him it didn't matter where they lived as long as they are together.

* * *

"Ice skating?" She smiled, looking at the ice skates that Clint handed to her. How he knew what size she wore was beyond her, she wasn't about to question it as it is a sweet gesture.

"We don't have to," he told her with an uncertainty to his voice. He didn't want to do something that she didn't like doing. "We can do anything else," he told her. "I did tell you how beautiful you are?" He checked, moving into her space.

"You have," she smiled, feeling his arms flex under her touch. "Let me change from this skirt to a pair of jeans, and we can go," she told him, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Hurry back," he told her with a chuckle, taking a look around what would be his new home. He didn't mind, and one look out the window told him she got the better view and her place had more room to make it their place. He did like the homey feel of her place over the temporary feeling of a place to stay while finding his home of his place.

She couldn't remember the last time that she went ice-skating. It had to have been back before she moved away for college. Heck, it could have been years before that.

It took her very little time slipping from the light pink skirt she wore, grabbing a pair of dark wash jeans to change in to. Slipping a pair of black knee-high wedge boots on as well.

"You know I can't remember the last time I actually went ice-skating," she informed him. "Has to be when I was a little girl. So I can't say I am going to be any good," she laughed, collecting her coat, a hat, a scarf and a pair of gloves. "Is it an outdoor rink?" She asked, looking at her stuff.

"It is," he confirmed with a nod. "And I haven't been on the ice in ages, so we'll suck together," he laughed, helping her with her coat. "If anything, you'll be the pro outshining me," he said, placing her scarf around her neck, pulling her close to softly place a kiss upon her lips.

"I can be your nurse, if you be my sexy doctor," she smirked, stepping away from him to put her hat and gloves on.

"I wouldn't mind having a sexy nurse looking after me," he smirked. "We don't even have to go out to play that game," he winked, sauntering up to her.

"Tempting," she laughed, pulling her apartment door open. "But I really want to see you fail at ice-skating," she told him, ushering him out, locking the door behind them.

"Me?" He questioned faking outrage. "What about you? I want to see you fail," he teased, pulling her into his side. "That way I can be your hero," he smugly told her.

"Such a prince," she teased.

Ice skating would have been the perfect date night. Clint took her to the Blue Cross RiverRink. The Christmas lights making it seem like magic while they skated. The Ben Franklin bridge and the Delaware river overlooking Camden, New Jersey. They did manage to skate for an hour, they never made it the lodge to sit and drink hot cocoa or to have a tournament in the arcade acting like little kids. Their dinner consisted of hospital vending food as they waited in the emergency room to be called back to see a doctor.

"I would like to blame you," she said, sitting on the hospital bed in the room waiting on the doctor to come in now that the nurse did his job and left them to wait.

"Me?" He questioned, sitting on the foot of the bed, rubbing her leg above the cut in her shin. "I didn't push you," he stated.

"No, but you did trip me," she pointed out.

"Not my fault," he said in surrender. "I tripped because those douchebags ran into me," he said getting upset over the accident. He wanted to go after them, but his fiancée came first and seeing blood seep through her pant leg scared him enough to get her to the emergency room.

"I know, babe," she told him softly reaching for his hand. "It was an accident and I really don't blame you. The night was perfect despite ending up here, I had fun, and we can go skating another time," she smiled, squeezing his fingers. "I love you, Clint."

"I love you," he responded, kissing her cheek. "I was thinking that with tomorrow being Saturday that I would move my stuff in."

"That's perfect," she smiled. "I don't know what is going to happen when I talk to my boss next week," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, now that he laid beside her.

"We will worry about that when the time comes. You have to do what's best for you. And if that means leaving than so be it. Or if it means staying there we can handle that too," he promised, kissing her temple. He went to move seeing the doctor enter the office.

"Oh no," he waved him off. "You're fine," he assured Clint looking at the nice sized gash in Onyx's leg. "Stitches it will be," he told her, moving over to the computer to log on and bring up what he needed while quizzing her on what happened and what medication she happened to be taking or if she happened to be allergic to any. She wasn't taking any, and she wasn't allergic to any either.

"This wasn't how I wanted to be doing this," he told her slipping from the hospital bed as they stitched the gash in her leg up.

"No, you're not," she laughed, watching him sink to one knee. "Clint."

"Everyone deserves to be asked, Onyx," he told her, taking her left hand in his. "This thing between us started out fake to fool the people closest to us, and we went and fell in love like the fools we are," he told her. His focus on his fiancée and not the doctor and nurses in the room who had smiles on their faces as they listened to what he said. "What we have is crazy and I want this crazy with you for an eternity. Will you marry me?" He asked, pulling out a 14kt white gold solitaire diamond six-prong knife-edge engagement ring. The six-prongs gave the round center stone a snowflake look.

"You didn't have to do this," she whispered, moving the white gold band with the lone diamond on it to her right hand. "I don't need any of this," she told him, a tear running down her cheek. "Your love is all I need, Clint," she told him.

"That may be so," he said, reaching up to wipe the tear away with his thumb. "But this once can you give me an un-Onyx answer and say a yes or even a no," he told her his smile going into one filled with uncertainty.

"Yes," she smiled, letting him place the ring on her finger, before sharing a kiss.

The doctor and nurses giving them the moment they deserved. Not wanting to ruin it for them.

With a proposal and stitches in her leg they went home. She made sure to joke about how they got engaged on the drive home and how close to the truth it happened to be.

"I think we should tell them the truth," she said. She hated lying to her brother. Hated to know that their relationship started out on a lie.

"I agree," he told her. Their friends deserved to know the truth and if that meant they hated him he would deal because he is the one at fault. "When do you want to tell them?" He asked, settling into his side of the bed.

"I don't even know," she sighed, fussing with the blanket. "Can we tell them at the wedding?" She questioned, looking over at him.

"I can see how that would go," he chuckled. "Our parting words, thanks for coming, by the way this was a ploy, but no worries we grew to love each other," he commented.

"It could work," she said, moving to rest against him. "But, sadly, I don't think we can. They deserve more respect than that. And we can't call them and tell them that way either," she sighed.

"Then we wait until we're with them. We can go over Easter and tell them then," he suggested, twirling her hair around his finger.

"That'll work," she smiled. "I do miss my niece and nephews," she commented.

"What about your brother?" He chuckled into her hair.

"Of course I miss him," she stated in a duh tone. "But I happen to miss my niece and nephews more," she shrugged. "You can't tell me that you miss your sister more than your nephews and niece," she said, moving to look up at him.

"Putting it that way, I do miss the troublemakers more than my sister," he agreed. Don't get him wrong he missed his sister greatly, but missing his nephews and niece were on a different level.

"Do you want kids?" She asked, moving to rest her head on his chest. Spending time with kids and having fun with them and having your own were two very different things. With every fiber within her she wanted to have kids of her own. The exact number an unknown, as it didn't matter how many she had. But kids is one area in her life she couldn't and wouldn't compromise, for anyone.

"I don't want you to think that I don't," he started to tell her. "Having kids has never been a priority of mine," he truthfully told her.

"What does that mean?" She asked, struggling with what that meant inside of her. Because as hard as it would be, she'd walk away, because being mom is what she's always wanted, greater than the need to have a love like she has with Clint.

"It means that I never thought about having kids, or being a father," he said, placing a kiss to the crown of her head. "Over the last few days with you, I have thought about it, and honestly, I wouldn't mind having a couple of kids with you," he said, feeling his fiancée relax immensely in his embrace.

"You're not just saying that are you?" She questioned. It warmed her heart that he thought about having kids with her, she just didn't want him to be saying it for her benefit.

"I'm not saying it for the hell of it, babe. I want it all with you, marriage, kids, growing old, fights, the making up," he smirked. "Every last thing, I want it with you. Having a little girl that looks every bit like her mother, how could I not want that?" He questioned, pulling her to lie on top of him, mindful of her leg.

"I wouldn't mind a little boy that looks like his father," she smiled, lightly pressing her lips against his. "I don't want you to forget how much I love you," she told him.

"I can't forget," he said, digging his fingers into her waist. "Because I love you the same," he responded, flipping them over. "Let me show you," he husked out, kissing along her jaw, down her neck.

* * *

Morning came far too early for either of their liking. They really just wanted to waste their day in bed, curled up with each other, giving a lazy Saturday a new meaning. They slowly made their way out of bed, knowing they needed to be getting things done before they were needed at work once more after the weekend.

First thing first, they headed down to the office to see if the manager was in yet, to get Clint added to the paperwork, so he could have his own key and a parking space. It would be a small waiting game he had to play, while she checked him out; making sure nothing was keeping him from moving in. So in the meantime he was given a spare key to the apartment and the code for the door.

After meeting with the building manager they headed to his place to pack up the things he wanted, leaving the rest of the stuff behind, as his buddy was going to take over living there. It was something that been in the works for a few weeks now, going on hiatus when things came to a sudden halt with his ex. But, now that things were moving forward with Onyx full force, the plans for his buddy to move in were greenlit once again.

"It's a good thing I have two closest," she commented, taking his clothes from the closest to pack away while he worked on the clothes in his dresser, something else that he will be needing to take with him as Onyx only had one dresser.

"I would hate to fight for closest space," he teased. "I'd lose," he said seriously. Knowing it would be her clothes over his.

"Hush it," she laughed. "It would not. I'd move clothes around and make room for yours. I am not that mean," she huffed out. "Though having you walk around the place in the buff wouldn't be the worst thing to happen," she grinned at him.

"What about outside of home?" He asked with a smirk. "I don't think you'd appreciate everyone checking out what's yours."

"I really don't," she commented. "That's why I plan on locking you up," she teased.

"If you're locking me up, I am keeping you captive," he joked, finishing with the last of his clothes from the dresser.

"You won't hear any complaints from me," she told him, moving the last of his clothes from the closest to the box holding his clothes. "What's left?" She asked. They had already went through his living room, he did his bathroom while she collected items from his bedroom.

"A few things from the kitchen, and we're good," he told her. He wasn't attached to any of the furniture littered throughout the place as they were bought randomly when he needed them after he moved in. None of it held any importance to him.

Surprisingly it took an hour tops to unpack and make room for his stuff. His belongings blending in with hers like they belonged there from the very start. The biggest problem came with the DVDs, as they had multiple duplicates and no space for over half of them. And there was no way they were moving the books to make room for anything, like he suggested. So a quick trip to get a new shelf was in order.

Onyx found that one of her favorite things to do happened to be working side by side with Clint in the kitchen making their dinner. They even cleaned up after they finished eating, moving their party of two, to living room to snuggle on the couch watching movies to end their day.

Having him there in her space felt strange. A good strange, as he made the place feel more like home than ever felt. He made her feel safe. Going to sleep with him and waking up next to him, made her feel giddy and loved.


	8. Chapter 8

A week later she finally got to sit down and have the little chat with her boss and it turned out to be everything she didn't know she wanted walking into his office.

"We are going to miss you around here, Onyx," her boss told her. "It is hard to replace you. Even your replacement is going to find it hard to fill your shoes. Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?" He asked, leaning across his desk.

"I wish that were the case, Vic, you're already letting me cover SuperBowl 52, when I no longer work here. It's been some of the best times of my life here, but I have to go," she told him. "Spencer is going to fit in just fine and be way better at this job than I ever was," she smiled, recruiting the former college football player, after he suffered a career ending injury. He would do just fine, she had faith in him.

"He did learn from the best," Vic stated. "Are you sure that you are okay with writing this article with him?" He questioned, he cared about Onyx, looking out for her when she first started to work for him and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable with sharing the article.

"It was my idea to begin with, and he is okay with it and it's going to be an interesting one to write with the different way we see the sport, it will make for a good article," she smiled. "I can't thank you enough for offering to put in a good word for me, when I need it," she smiled. "This place and you especially hold a special place in my heart, Vic," she told him getting up. Moving on with no real job lined up scared her, but it opened up so much more for her career wise not to mention she was free to make the jump from one state to another.

"Congratulations on the engagement," he said pointing to the ring on her finger, a smile of love and admiration crossing her features. "Family is important so I do get why you are going. Take care of yourself, Onyx," he told her.

"I can do that," she smiled. "I will have the article in before the deadline and keep your guys in order," she stated, walking to the door, his booming laughter following behind her.

Cleaning out her desk had been the hard awaited her would be better for her, but in many ways her job here had changed her, shaped her to be a better writer. She would miss them all. Enough that it made her second guess her choice.

"I hate to see you go," Spencer said, sitting on the one clear spot on her desk. "You've made a name for yourself, and I have to follow that because I was under your advisement," he said. "It's going to be tough," he sighed.

"Spence, I believe in you. I wouldn't have suggested you to take over my job if I didn't think you weren't good enough. Believe in yourself and you'll be better than I ever have been," she told him, gathering the last of her stuff up to place in her box. "I will be following your career here. And you best bet I will be calling you up and giving you any type of critique that I think you may and to rub it in your face that you could do it. This world is at your fingertips," she told him. "Take care, alright?"

"You take care as well, Onyx. And do you think that it would be okay if I called you for advice?" He asked looking like the nervous guy she met on his first day of work nearly two and a half years ago now.

"We're friends, Spencer. Call me for any type of advice," she assured him with a soft smile. "Work or personal," she stated.

"Okay. And hey Onyx," he said. "Don't lose my invite to this wedding of yours," he stated.

"Oh," she said, holding her hand up to look at the ring she kept forgetting about as the ring felt like it belonged there. "Keep an eye out, as we haven't set a date as of yet," she told him.

"You best bet I will," he laughed. "And if I don't, I'll be bugging you until you send me an invite," he smirked, walking off.

Onyx sighed for multiple reasons, picking her box of belongs up. Not only would she miss her job, but having a very serious talk with Clint as she didn't tell him that she would be leaving her job, ready to make that move to Texas to be closer to her brother and her family before they make any more plans for their wedding.

Upon getting home she saw that Clint was still out and putting her box of stuff out of the way until she could find a different place to put it all, she got a start on making dinner.

She decided on a making Chinese food for dinner; she got out the ingredients for homemade egg rolls. Also making orange chicken, rice, and making a veggie stir fry.

"A guy could get use to this," Clint smiled, walking into the apartment, which he finally got a key for. Their first week without a key was tricky to work around. And when he gota key they were both relieved as they didn't have to work a schedule out. "It smells amazing, babe," he told her greeting her with a kiss.

"Don't get too use to it, because I do enjoy the nights you cook," she smiled, leaning into him.

"Care to explain about that box of stuff?" He asked, taking notice of the box that hadn't been there when he went to work that morning.

"I was going to wait until later to tell you, but I don't think anytime is the right time," she rambled. "You know how I had that meeting with my boss today?" She questioned, getting a nod from him. "It turns out that we can fully commit to that move to Texas," she told him.

"Did you quit? Or did you get fired?" He carefully asked not knowing anything more than what she is willing to tell him.

"I quit," she told him. "Vic asked, what I wanted, what would make me happy career wise and staying there doesn't cut it anymore for me. I've enjoyed my time there, but it's time to move on. I just don't know what that is as of yet," she explained to him. "I would've talked to you about it, but I didn't even know it was going to happen this morning," she said.

"Hey, it's fine," he softly told her. "We'll manage until you find your next calling." He did wish that he would have knew ahead of time, that quitting her job had been something on her mind, but he got it, as she didn't really know what she wanted until she was asked point blank. And really he should have seen it coming, as she does want to move to be closer to her brother and the family she has.

"I do still have one more article to write. How do you feel about a trip to the Superbowl?" She questioned with a smirk.

"I'd be stupid to pass that up," he chuckled.

"Good, you can keep Spencer's partner company while we work on the article," she smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Partner?" He chocked out. "I don't know either one of them, how can I keep anyone company without it being awkward?"

"We got time to have them over, so you can get to know them so it won't be awkward, babe," she laughed, checking on dinner. "Honestly, you'll like them both," she smiled.

"Okay, I trust you. Set it up and I'll be here," he said. "Do you know what I am looking forward to the most?" He asked, leaning on the countertop.

"What is that?" She asked, turning things off not wanting to burn any of the food.

"We're going to be back in your home state, so you get to show me around the spots you hung out in growing up," he smirked.

"What the mall?" She laughed, looking at him. "The hot make out spots I stayed away from, I really didn't need an audience to anything I did," she pointed out.

"Didn't you go to parties?" He asked.

"Multiple house parties and a few parties at a lake in the summertime," she shrugged. "I didn't have any spots I hung out in. You can get lost at the Mall of America," she laughed, knowing just how true that really is.

"There had to have been some place other than the mall you and Marley hung out," he laughed.

"Nope, we were typical teenage girls, we liked to shop and maybe play a few games at the arcade. Check out the guys at the pool a few times a week," she shrugged.

"What about when you were dating Nick?" He asked. "You can't tell me that you stayed in with parents watching your every move." He wasn't jealous of the past she has with Nick. He liked Nick and everything she did in her past had no effect on his relationship with her because he was the one with her and no one else.

"I don't know what to tell you, babe," she sighed, getting two plates from the cupboard. "There was nowhere special that I would go and hang out at with anyone. We wouldn't park and have sex in his car. You'll see when we get there," she told him. If he wouldn't believe her, he'd see for himself when they get to Minnesota in a week and a half.

* * *

"I don't know why you think I am not going to be on my best behavior for," Clint chuckled, holding the door to the restaurant open letting her go in first. "You and Spencer are close, and I've got nothing to worry about because he is madly in love with his boyfriend of the past two years, Alister," he recited, he knew the story inside and out by now with all the times she told him, assuring him that nothing was going on with Spencer, which he didn't need to begin with, he wasn't jealous of the guy, but hearing that he was gay, did put him at ease. She had promised that at the start she was more of a mentor to Spencer and that grew into a friendship with him. He wasn't about to judge her on her friendship with the guy, or judge Spencer at all for that matter.

"At least I know you pay attention when I talk," she smiled, turning to the hostess. "Hi, it's under Porter," she told her.

"The other two haven't arrived yet," they were informed. "Do you want to wait here or at the table?" Onyx looked at Clint and he shrugged, as it didn't matter much to him where they waited at.

"The table," Onyx smiled, preferring to wait away from the draft that entered the place everytime the door opened. Once at the table, Clint pulled out the chair for his fiancée and helped her to sit.

"Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"

"A glass of Chardonnay, please," Onyx smiled.

"Make that two glasses," Clint said, lacing his hand with that of Onyx's on the table between them. "Of course I listen to you, babe," he chuckled, knowing just how much trouble he would be in if he didn't listen to what she had to say. Not that he would ignore her to begin with. "Any news on the work front?" He asked. She had been working on figuring out what she wanted to do while helping out on a friend's blog now that she had the time to do so.

"I was actually offered this little job co-hosting this sports talk show via the internet, so I don't even have to move to do it. But I am not sure if I want to accept it or not," she sighed, moving to rest her head on his shoulder.

"It wouldn't hurt to try it out for short period of time while you figure out if that is what you want," Clint advised her.

"That is what I was thinking about doing," she told him. "But I wanted to talk it over with you before I made a choice. What I do, has this effect on you. And I forget that at times," she said, referring to the day she quit her job and didn't take in any consideration to Clint, as it should have been something they talked about.

"With what little time we have been togetherit is easy to forget," Clint told her kissing the top of her head. "Thank you," Clint said, the wine being placed on the table in front of them.

"I can see why you kept him under wraps," Spencer said, joining the couple at the table with his own boyfriend. "Hello," he greeted.

"For many reasons," she smirked, standing up to hug her friend. "Spencer, Alistair this is my fiancée Clint, babe this is Spencer and Alistair," she introduced, taking her seat once more.

"Hey," Clint said, shaking the hands of both men.

"Onyx has kept everything about you a secret. Heck I didn't even know she was taken until I saw that ring on her finger," Spencer stated, taking his seat across from Onyx. Alister ordering drinks for himself and for his boyfriend.

"There isn't much to know," Onyx said. "We met at a party; we took a trip together, started to date on said trip and got engaged after we got back," she shrugged, leaving it at that.

"The trip over Christmas?" Spencer knew for a fact that his friend hadn't taken any other trips since he started to work with her. "And hear I thought the start of my relationship with Alistair was a bit different," he laughed, at the bits of confirmation from his friend.

"I set them up on a date at the persistent of Spencer. He wouldn't stop talking about this guy he met, and one day I was fed up with it so I took his phone and messaged him about a date, after Alister replied, Spencer took over," she quickly explained, at the confused look on her fiancée's face.

"That does sound like something you would do," Clint chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "At least you didn't need to make amends before you started to date. I did piss her off before I asked her out. And I still don't think she will ever let me live it down," Clint said, looking at her.

"You'll be in the dog house for a long time over that one," she smiled sweetly at him. "I wore it once, and you had to be a dick and pour your drink all over it, instead of asking me to dance."

"That would have been the logical thing to do," he said. "I told you, I'll do whatever it takes to get the dress cleaned, or buy you a new one," he pointed out.

"Wait!" Spencer practically shouted, making the three of them jump slightly. "This is the guy that you wouldn't stop mumbling about at work?" He asked, getting excited at that prospect.

"I see my reputation precedes me," Clint chuckled, giving Spencer all the information that he needed.

"A face to go with the jerk that has very pretty eyes," Alister laughed.

"Is that so?" Clint asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"And hey look you still are," she smiled at him.

"But now, I'm the jerk with pretty eyes that you love," he smiled sweetly at her. She rolled her eyes.

"And that's why I forget to be mad at you over something so silly," she said, picking her menu up. "Because not loving you is hard and something I don't want to happen ever,"she stated, looking into her menu and nudging him in the calf with her foot.

"I feel the same way, babe," Clint smiled, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple.

"Aren't they just the sweetest?" Spencer whispered to his boyfriend. Alister agreeingwith his boyfriend.

They took a few minutes to figure out what it is they wanted to order, placing their order when the waitress arrived. With their food ordered, they took to learning more about each other, mainly Clint and him learning more about Spencer and Alister. He could easily say by the end of dinner that he had became friends with the two of them and spending his day watching the Superbowlwith Alister, wouldn't be that hard to do.

"Ugh," Clint happily sighed, tossing his tie on the bed, happy to be home. "What happened to having them over for dinner?" He questioned, looking to his fiancée while he fell back on the bed.

"We decided it best to have a night out instead," she told him, grabbing his tie and putting it away. "You just didn't like it because you had to wear the suit complete with a tie," she said, standing between his legs, getting him to sit up starting to unbutton his white dress shirt.

"Don't tempt me," he warned, grabbing her hips to pull her forward slightly. "And we could have went somewhere more casual," he said, pulling her down on top of him, eliciting a giggle from her.

"It wasn't that bad," she told him, leaving a trail of kisses down his neck. "Who said anything about tempting you?" She giggled against his skin with a small nibble.

"Highlight of my night is right here," he said, slipping his hands under the dress she wore.

"I bet," she laughed, covering his lips with her own. She was done talking as she craved something else, as did he.

* * *

They sat on a plane headed back to Texas for the Easter weekend early on Wednesday morning. As they had a few other things planned to do before they were to leave Monday afternoon. One of them being the wedding location that Onyx had her heart set on and to find out the dates available. And as much as she wanted a spring wedding she wouldn't mind having a late summer or an early fall wedding. They decided together they would wait a year before tying the knot to really plan out the wedding and to get a better understanding of each other and not rush into something that might not even work out.

He learnt when they touched down in Minneapolis that she hadn't been lying about having any real hang out spots. There had been a little cafe that closed down since she left that she spent time at, a beach tucked away from the city. Parks filled with trails to hike or bike on. Days spent at Valley Fair. But the typical teenage hangout points, she didn't go to but knew where they were at. He saw the schools she went to, the neighborhood she grew up in and where Marley lived. As she showed him the city she called home, she felt as if she had been exploring a new city with as much as things changed since she had last been there for any real length of time.

The month of March hadn't really saw much from the couple as they fell further into their daily routine. Bickering between them had been a normal occurrence but they never went to bed mad at each other and worked out their problems and made compromises on things they couldn't agree on. Finding they could still fall more in love with each other.

"How pissed do you think they are going to be?" Onyx asked, taking her gaze from the clouds to that of her fiancée. She really didn't want Jeff to be mad at her, but part of her knew that he wasn't going to take kindly to the news they were about to share.

"With them, it's hard to say," he sighed, bringing her hand up to kiss the back of it. "I'll take the blunt of it, Onyx," he told her.

"I don't want you to do that. We were in this together, and I knew to an extent what I was walking into. I am at fault in this as well," she told him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I would hate for your brother to hate you over my idea, baby," he told her softly.

"I willingly accepted, so I take half the blame, babe. We're in this together," she smiled. "I think we should tell them separately, that way everyone isn't going to gang up on us. And I think…" Clint cut her off promptly with a soft kiss.

"I don't know the best way to do this, but I do know that I really don't want to explain my actions over and over again," he softly whispered breaking the kiss, his forehead resting against hers.

"Then we don't explain our actions. We tell them the bare minimum," she told him. They didn't need to know every detail about why they did what they did. They can't go back to change what they had done. "We can be sorry about what we did, but other than deceiving them I am not sorry for it, the best thing came out of that in the form of you," she told him getting worked up over it all.

"I've known them most my life and I am not sorry for it either," he shared. "I am sorry that I hurt them, but having you, how can I be sorry for finding this love with you, Onyx?" He questioned, kissing her forehead.

Onyx got cut off from saying anything when the announcement came on that they were getting ready to land, making quick works of getting buckled back in. They let their conversation go, they could say whatever between each other but at the end of it all would be how those closest would take the news and what damage control they would need to make then.

Much like last time, they got a hotel only differences now being they needed one, and it wasn't to keep those closest to Clint in figuring out what he was up to as now they had a feeling they needed the room because a select few if not all of them were going to mad or upset with the both of them.

"Did you let your brother know that we were going to be in town?" Clint asked, pulling into Jeff's driveway.

"Was I supposed to?" She answered back in the form of a question with a laugh. "Can't a sister show up announced to her brother's house?"

"Maybe, if the siblings lived a bit closer," he laughed, turning the car off. "Now you're brother is going to think we have good news to tell him," he pointed out.

"We can," she nodded, getting out of the car. "We have time to look at houses while we are here, since nothing is keeping us locked down in Philadelphia, now," she stated, lightly knocking on the door. She thought about walking in, but she didn't know how Jeff would take to that.

"We can do that," Clint agreed, kissing her temple. He wasn't about to pass up on a chance to move back now that one is placed in front of him.

"Auntie Onyx and Uncle Clint," Jeff said, opening the door holding one of his four-month old sons. "What are you guys doing here?" Jeff asked, hugging his sister, passing his son over who started to cry at the stranger holding him.

"Baby boy," Onyx cooed, rubbing his back, walking off to get her nephew settled down.

"Hey," Clint laughed, shutting the door behind him as he entered the house. "You're sister forgot to inform you that we would be in town this early, and I didn't know until we pulled into your driveway," he informed his friend.

"It's a nice surprise," Jeff laughed, waiting on Clint before following after his sister, seeing that his son was now laughing and pulling on the fistful of hair he could get his little chubby fingers on. "But I am not naïve enough to know I am the full reason why you are in town this early, as the last I knew you were coming in early Friday morning," he smiled, taking a seat.

"You'd be right about that," Onyx smiled. "Where's my niece and the other handsome part of this duo?" She asked.

"Jasper is upstairs taking a nap, and Ember is out with Sugar. Jett, here, was being a bit more difficult and wouldn't sleep any longer," Jeff explained. "Jasper should be waking up within the next half hour, about the same time that Sugar and Ember should be home," he told them.

"We do have a bit of news to tell you," Onyx told him, kissing the top of her nephew's head.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Jeff asked.

"We have an appointment for tomorrow to look at a wedding venue here, and after that we will have a more solid date for the wedding locked in," Clint told him.

"That's amazing," Jeff smiled.

"That's not it," Onyx sighed, handing Jett over to Clint. "There's more to this relationship with Clint than we have been saying," she started to say, glancing at Clint quickly before putting her attention back on her brother. "I didn't want to lie to you, or deceive you. I simply didn't know that you and Clint were friends. Heck at the time I came here with Clint, I barely knew him," she rattled out.

"Lie about what? And what do you mean you barely knew Clint?" Jeff asked, feeling his anger starting to get the best of him.

"I want to take blame here, but your sister won't let me take all the blame. But, I had been with someone else, and she broke upwithu me, and instead of coming here and explaining it to all of you, I came up with this stupid plan to have Onyx pretend to be my fiancée," Clint said.

"And when I went to meet you, Clint was going to be a friend, but you showed up at the party and no one wants to have the pity of being broken up with over the holidays," she said, coming to Clint's defense.

"I hate that you both thought it best to lie about your relationship. But you guys pulled it off," Jeff gave them props. "And I want to be mad at you both for doing that. Clint we wouldn't have given you this pity, because of it," Jeff stressed. "I can see why you did this for, you have a big heart, Onyx. And something good did come from this. Right? You really are getting married?" He questioned.

"We are," Onyx smiled, looking over at her fiancé.

"Then I won't kick you two out," he chuckled, as that had been his first instinct. "And I think it's a bit soon to be jumping right to marriage, but I am not part of this relationship, so that isn't for me to decide," he told them.

"Thank you for that," Onyx smiled. "And I do love him and our engagement isn't going to be short, as we have decided to have a bit longer engagement."

"That puts me at ease, because the last thing I want to see is either one of you being is hurt," Jeff told them. "What else have I missed out on?" Jeff asked, hearing his son cry through the baby monitor. "Hold that thought," he told them.

"I got him," Onyx smiled jumping up. Jeff letting her go.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey all. Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita and she can't be used without her permission, as I have been given. Onyx belongs to me and can't be used without my permission, the same can be said about Ember and the twins, the others belong to Glee and crew.  
I would like to say that there is only one chapter left as it was never meant to be this long to start out with. Enjoy.**_

* * *

She stood in front of the mirror, her hands running over the silk of her wedding dress smoothing out any and all of the invisible wrinkles forming on the dress. Looking at her reflection, she didn't see herself. The woman that lost her family and forged ahead being alone with a handful of friends to look after her when depression hit. She didn't see that sad lonely person she was starting to become. The pathetic woman who was done with love and romance, ready to start adopting cats, or rather dogs as she wasn't a cat person. The woman ready to accept that she would be on her own, forever. No, instead when she looked upon her reflection dressed in her white silk wedding gown, happiness, love, and a woman she was excited to be, looked back at her. She has the love of a great man, the love of her new family, more friends than she could ever dream up. And they were all waiting for yet she couldn't get herself to move from the spot she is frozen in.

"We don't have time for you to start crying," Blaine told her, wrapping an arm around her. "You look beautiful," he whispered.

"I never thought this would be me," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "I was ready for a very lonely life, and now I have it all," she smiled.

"I did," Blaine said making eye contact with his best friend through the mirror. "You have so much to give, that it was bound to happen. You just needed to find the right guy to catch you," he softly explained.

"Yeah?" She questioned, lifting her head up, to make sure her veil sat straight atop her head. Blaine nodded, stepping in front of her to help her fix the veil and to make sure that everything was perfect, because she deserved for this day to be perfect for her.

"You're my best friend, Onyx, of course I am going to believe and have faith that this would happen for you," he stated seriously, he would be a fool to think otherwise. "Now let's get you out there, before that groom of yours thinks you ran away with your man of honor," he smirked. Things between Blaine and Clint had been getting better, but she didn't think they would ever be the best of friends and that is something both guys are okay with, as she wouldn't toss Blaine to the side because Clint wanted her to, not that he would ask that, as he is very secure in his relationship and trusts that she won't cheat on him.

"I love you, Blaine, but I wouldn't do that," she laughed. "Do I look okay?" She worriedly asked biting the corner of her lip.

"You look perfect and like the stunning bride you are," he assured her. "Now stop biting your lip before you make it bleed and you get blood all over this gorgeous gown of yours," he warned her.

"Like I could make blood gush from my lip," she rolled her eyes at him, doing as told. "Let's go," she told him, ready to get this day over with, so she could call Clint her husband.

Blaine held the door open for Onyx, picking up the small train to her dress not wanting it to get covered in dirt or grass stains before she walked down the aisle. He arranged the train behind her, meeting up with her brother and the rest of the bridal party, taking his place in line.

"Are you sure about this?" Jeff questioned, as the bridal party started to walk down the aisle.

"Yes, I'm sure about this," she smiled, looking at her brother briefly. "I know you don't agree with how we went about this, but this is what we want together," she told him. "We love each other, why wait any longer to join our lives together?" She asked.

"Because you don't know if things are going to work out. I would hate to see you both go through with a nasty divorce. Because I would have to choose, and I would pick you over him," he stated.

"I am happy to know that you would toss away over a decade of a friendship with your friend, for me, but it won't be necessary, even if we do get a divorce, you can have us both in your life, Jeff," she assured her brother. "Besides, if we feel like we need a divorce we'll do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen." She knew it wasn't that easy, that if a marriage was deemed to fail it would as not every marriage can be saved. "I want my forever to be with him, and I won't give up on him that easily," she smiled, hearing the music change, more than ready to get to the end of the aisle to be with her very soon to be husband.

"How can I argue with that? He smiled, "let's get you married to my best friend," he said, as they started to walk down the aisle.

She knew with it being her wedding that she should be paying attention to what is being said around her, to how the flowers, the smiles on those closest to her held, but her focus remained on Clint the second she laid eyes on him, she had tunnel vision as she couldn't take them off of him with the way he filled out the tux he is wearing perfectly. He just about looks better than she does in her wedding dress and that wasn't fair.

"Onyx," Clint started to say, taking a small moment for himself, as the vision of her in her wedding dress stole his breath away, and he's been having a hard time trying to recover from it. "Spilling my drink on you, having coffee with you days later and asking you to be my fake girlfriend, they were stupid choices I made," he stopped to lick his lips. Other than Jeff and Sugar, and Mikki, they hadn't told anyone else about their relationship starting out as fake, as they didn't feel it necessary. "They have been stupid choices, but they were all worth it now that I am standing here to pledge my life with yours. Going into this ordeal, I figured we'd trick my friends and once back home we'd go our own ways and that would be that," he shrugged. "I'm thrilled that isn't how this thing between us went down. I can't imagine my life with anyone else. I want it all with you, Onyx. It'll take me a lifetime and more to show you what you mean to me and how much I truly love you," he told her, placing a kiss to her knuckles, not caring if he couldn't be doing it. He would show her day after day the love he held for her, through fights and all.

"I can't take you ruining this dress as well, so Clint, promise me that you won't spill your drink all over my dress today," she told him, earning a few laughs with her little comment.

"I promise, I won't," he laughed, squeezing her hand. He wasn't that big of an asshole to ruin her wedding dress, that she looked stunning in.

"Good," she laughed softly. "That night I wanted to murder you, but the risk wasn't worth it, because I didn't want to spend my life behind bars. I wanted to throw my coffee on you when you proposed this idea to me about coming here to be your fake girlfriend. As much as I screamed at myself not to go through with this idea of yours, it was the best thing to happen to me, not because I got a family out of it, but because I got to fall in love with you," she smiled at him. "This journey of love and life hasn't been the easiest but with you next to me, it makes it a little less difficult, I don't want anyone other than you as we embark on a life together," she said, pausing for a moment to get her emotions in check as she didn't want to start bailing her eyes out with tears of joy. "Do know that I'll always be your fake everything in life when you need me to be; that I'll always be your everything, the way you're my everything," she finished off.

They vowed to be there in sickness and health, till death do them part. Named husband and wife and sharing their first kiss as a married couple, was the sweetest, most love filled kiss they have shared since being together. Walking down the aisle hand in hand as husband and wife, felt like they were floating, elated to finally be married. To mark this day as one of the best days in their lives. You couldn't wipe the smiles from their faces or break them apart longer than five minutes at time, as they needed to be next to each other holding hands or holding each other.

"I hope that your husband isn't too mad about you knowing that this thing with Clint started out fake," Onyx said, coming to stand next to Mikki as her newly crowned husband talked with his friends.

"Once I explained things to him, he understood that it wasn't my place to tell him," Mikki smiled softly at her.

"I do feel bad," Onyx sighed. "Ever since I showed up, it's like I've done nothing but reveal all these secrets you've had. My intentions were to never make things harder for your marriage with Seb." She didn't know Mikki when she showed up so she shouldn't feel guilty for what she brought forth, but she didn't want to cause any trouble for any couple, and now that she's had a chance to get to know Mikki, she's found a really great friend in the woman, and she didn't to do anything to jeopardize that.

"I know it wasn't," Mikki told her, placing a hand on Onyx's arm. "I shouldn't have been keeping that from him to begin with. You weren't at fault, and you shouldn't be feeling guilty at your wedding, you should be happy," Mikki said, shoving her in the direction that her husband is in. "You should be enjoying this night with your husband."

"My husband," Onyx laughed. "It feels weird but in a good way, to call him that," she smiled, walking to where her husband stood, wrapping herself around him.

"This isn't fake is it?" Matt asked, looking between the married couple.

"This is real, Matthew," Onyx told him. "It's hard to fake the way I feel for him, when it's real love," she smiled, sharing a quick kiss with her husband.

"Just wanted to make sure," Matt laughed, heading off to find his own wife.

"I don't know if we should have mentioned this thing being fake," Onyx sighed, moving to stand in front of her husband, letting her head fall against his chest. "I feel like they're never going to let it go."

"With time," Clint chuckled, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "We just have to be patient until someone does something as equally as stupid," he told her. "I think we've spent enough time with these people, why don't we head back to our suite and celebrate behind closed doors," he husked into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "As much as I love seeing you in this dress of yours, I want to take it off of you," he whispered, placing a kiss behind her ear.

"As much as I would love nothing more than to peel this suit off of you, I still have to throw my bouquet," she sighed.

"Hey Emmie," Clint said, calling the little girl over.

"What Uncle Clint?" She asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Can you do your Uncle and Aunt a huge favor?" He asked, watching as she quickly nodded her head happy to help in anyway she can. "Go over there to the table and get the bouquet of flowers sitting in the middle of the table," he told her. Emmie did as asked, running over to where she was told to go. The bouquet she carried down the aisle safely put away until a later time, when she could do something with it.

"Here Auntie Onny," she said handing the bouquet to Onyx.

"Get ready to catch because Auntie Onyx is going to toss the bouquet to you, and it's really important that you catch them," Clint explained to his niece.

Onyx looked at her husband eyes growing slightly in size, a smile on her face, now that she knew what he had planned. "Ready?" Onyx asked, putting her attention on her niece. Ember, nodded her head, holding her hands out ready to catch, like she was instructed to do. Onyx lightly tossed the colorful bouquet into her awaiting niece's arms. A megawatt smile coming out, when she caught them. "Go show your mom and dad what you caught," Onyx urged her. Ember nodded, running off to find her parents. "That was your plan?" She smirked at her husband.

"Yep," he smirked, going to pull her out and ready to have his way with his wife.

"What about my garter, that you have to take off?" She asked stopping him dead in his tracks. Laughing when she heard him mutter under his breath.

"After that can, we go?" He asked with a slight pout, looking back at his wife with a pleading look.

"I don't see why not," she told him. "We should thank our guests for coming before we ditch them."

He shook his head and pulled her up to the stage set up. Speeches had already been made so he wasn't worried about missing out on that. Jeff had warned him not to hurt Onyx and welcomed him into the family, officially. Rachel doing the same thing. Blaine's speech had dragged on, bringing up more embarrassing stories of Onyx, but wishing them well and a happy marriage.

"Excuse me for a second," Clint spoke into the mic gaining the attention of the room. "We'd like to thank you all for coming and joining us on our day. It means a lot to us that you came to support us," he said. "I've been informed that before we can go and have our own party away from the lot of you," he smirked, dropping to his knees, to move his hands up his wife's leg to pull off the garter she wore. "The first person to give me more than 20 bucks can have it," he said, standing back up and drawing his wife into his side, a bidding war in good fun broke out. In the end it had been one of his work colleges, the guys youngest son sharing the dance with Ember.

Just like he stated, they made their escape dodging anyone that wanted to keep them longer. They spent hours with their friends and family celebrating their holy union, for him it was time to do some celebrating of their own.

* * *

"That was Jeff," Onyx laughed, joining her husband in the spare room, to put things away. The room is more for storage until they can find the right spot to put the stuff. And with them only needing the master bedroom, as they set the office up for the both of them to use on the main floor and Clint making his personal man cave in a section of the basement.

"What is so funny?" He asked, pausing what he was doing to look at his amused wife.

"He found his invite to the house warming party tonight, and he ranted for nearly 20 minutes on how crazy his new neighbors happened to be. And that he can't figure out who his new neighbors happen to be as he hasn't been able to get a good look at them. And there was this whole speech about his neighbor's being serial killers because they didn't put their names on the invite," she explained holding her laughter back. "Has he always been this paranoid?"

"Won't he be in for a shock?" Clint chuckled. "We should make sure we have a butchers knife in plain sight, just for him," he teased. "No, I think marriage, and kids did that to him. Is it too late to call this off? I don't want to be that paranoid," he teased.

"You are a horrible friend," she laughed, squeezing his arm moving past him, to open a box to see what went where in one of the many boxes they wrote miscellaneous on. "And yes it's too late, you are stuck with me, paranoia and all."

"Me?" He exclaimed. "And how are you being a good sister? You wouldn't let us put our names on the invites because you wanted to surprise them. I believe hiding from them was again your idea," he pointed out. "I'll take it," he winked.

"Oh stop it," she said rolling her eyes. "You've enjoyed all the sneaking around as it's not something we got to do when we were younger," she told him.

"And who says we would have done anything back then?" He teased. "You would have been my best friend's kid sister, you would have been off limits," he told her, pulling her to stand in front of him, his hands resting on her hips. She slipped her hands around his neck.

"And that is why sneaking around would have been so much fun," she smirked. "I wouldn't have been his kid sister for long. We are the same age after all," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"How can I argue with that?" He smirked, lightly kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I don't think so," she said pulling away from him with a smile on her face. "We have work to do before our company comes over to find out who the new neighbors in the neighborhood are," she pointed out, breaking away from his hold. They found a house that happened to be five houses away from Jeff's place, the perfect walking distance away, as she didn't want to live next door as she did want a bit of her own space but yet close enough, as she didn't have that closeness of growing up with her brother so this was the best she could do to amend that.

"Most the house is unpacked, we're going to order a shit load of food, and the beer is in the fridge, I think we have a spare few minutes to go break in that bed we finally got in our room," he stated, grabbing her hand and easily pulling her out of the spare room and down the hall to where the master bedroom is located at.

"The Jacuzzi tub does look promising," she commented. They could finish unpacking later. Everything in the house that needed to be unpacked and set up had already been taken care of over the last few days, and what they had left would find it's spots eventually, as it wasn't a big deal if they sat in a box a bit longer.

Before they even made it to the threshold of their room, the doorbell had rung out through the house. They shared a look; she shook her head seeing he wanted to ignore whoever happened to be on the other side of their door. She couldn't do that no matter the temptation.

"What?" Jeff asked suddenly very confused to seeing his best friend and his sister on the opposite side of the door. All while Clint and Onyx shared a round of laughter with each other.

"Dude, it's a thing called moving," Clint said, letting Jeff and his family inside, Onyx quickly scooping one of her nephews up, and sharing a hug with Ember.

"Don't question it, the timing worked out so we jumped at the chance of owning this house, how could we pass up moving here?" Onyx said, kissing the little boys head in her arms.

"Do you want us to move elsewhere?" Clint asked, getting Jeff to shake his head. "You knew we were in talks of moving here."

"I know that and I am happy you're here and so close," he quickly explained. "But why didn't you tell me?" He asked. It was in that exact moment that they realized just how upset Jeff is over them not telling him.

"We wanted to surprise you, Jeff," she told her brother. "There wasn't much you could have done to help. You couldn't fly out to Philly to help us pack and we looked when we were here over Easter and things fell into place from there and we didn't have the struggle of moving most have. It was easy and hassle free. There was no stress involved. It was just one of those things we wanted to do on our own. We didn't set out to hurt you," she explained to her brother.

"We didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if things fell through, that part was hard enough on us waiting to know if we would be approved to have this place, or if someone else would be getting it, as we weren't the only ones interested in the house. We couldn't share in that disappointment if it wouldn't have worked out," Clint said, picking up the other little boy after having a long hug from Ember.

"I get that," Jeff sighed. "It would have been nice to have known ahead of time, is all. And not get this mysterious invite in the mail," he told them with a smirk.

"Is that why you're like two hours early? You wanted to see who your new neighbors were and if you didn't like them, were you going to politely decline their offer saying you had a different commitment?" Clint asked, switching little boys with Onyx.

"No," Jeff said, shaking his head.

"Don't be lying now," Sugar laughed. "That was the plan," she confessed.

"Next time maybe make sure your wife doesn't out you," Clint laughed, handing the boy he had to the little ones father. "We don't have much in the way of food, but we have beer, wine, water, some cola, and some juice," he told them, moving towards the kitchen.

"I want a juice, Uncle Clint," Ember said, skipping behind Clint to get a juice box.

"Anybody else?" Clint asked from the kitchen, helping Ember open the straw for her juice.

With the drink orders placed, Onyx headed to the kitchen, giving up her nephew to help get it all. With everyone having their drinks, they gave their guests a tour of the house, little comments being made as they did. Once back in the living room, she swept Ember up in her arms, and settled her niece on her lap.

"What do you think about aunty Onny and uncle Clint living here?" She asked.

"I can sleepover?" She asked, eyeing her aunt up.

"Of course you can, Emmie," Onyx told her placing a small kiss to her head. "You are welcome here anytime," she promised the girl.

"Okay," she smiled. "Do you have toys?" She inquired.

"I'll get them," Clint laughed, walking to the hall closet and pulling out a medium sized tub of toys for all their friend's kids to play with. "We have everything we need for the twins as well, so we can steal them for a night," he informed his family.

"Now that offer is by far too good to pass up," Sugar commented. "We will be taking you up on that offer," she told them.

"Can you two even handle three kids?" Jeff asked, holding back his chuckle. "It's a lot of work," he informed them.

"We can manage," Onyx told him. "And if not, we know your number and where you live," she smiled sweetly at her brother.

"You would show up in the middle of the night, wouldn't you?" Jeff asked with laughter.

"Heck yes," Onyx laughed.

They sat around and talked waiting on the others to show. Who happened to find the little surprise funny. And they finally got the chance to discuss the whole thing about them faking their relationship as they did ditch them at their wedding reception after they said no more about them faking their relationship and they refused to take any calls from them unless they left a message saying something was urgent while they were away on their honeymoon. They stayed at the InterContinental in Dublin, Ireland, enjoying the rich history Dublin had to offer them while making use of their room more often than not.

"The only explanation anyone needs is that yes we lied, it went sideways in a very good way, we fell in love, that is our love story," Clint said putting a stop to it.

"What he forgot to say is that we are sorry for lying and deceiving you in that fashion. But if we had a chance to change things, we wouldn't because as he said this is our love story," she added on for her husband.


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome to the last chapter, it was never meant to be longer than a simple little one-shot. Thank you.**

 **Mikki belongs to KikiJuanita, and as always you must ask permission to use her. The names you don't recognize from the show belong to me and can't be used without my permission. The rest belong to Glee.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Baby, what's with the save the date cards?" Clint asked his wife, joining her at the kitchen table, leaning over to kiss her cheek. He had spent his day hanging out with the guys. They have been married for six months now, together for almost two years, as they waited a year to get married.

"Box on the counter will explain it," she told him, as she finished writing the last bit of info on the card before her.

"Okay," he said slowly, getting up to grab the box on the counter, coming back to sit at the table. "Should I be worried?" He asked, looking at his wife, nervously playing with the dark blue ribbon tied around the box.

"We can worry about that after you open the box," she told him, placing the card on the small pile before her. "I'm not saying anything until you open it," she stated, tapping the small white box sitting before him on the table.

"I feel like there's a big piece of the puzzle I am missing here," he chuckled, slowly pulling the bow from the box.

"If you would just open the box, those missing piece will be put into place," she smiled sweetly at him, waiting for him to see what news awaited him. She was finding it hard enough not to hurt the news out, but she wanted to see this through and he would know soon enough.

"You got me a shirt?" He asked confused, seeing the black cotton. Onyx shook her head. Clint frowned, lifting the article of clothing up to see a very positive pregnancy test and the black onesie, with white writing, saying, _ **Hi daddy, I've been assured by Mommy that you're the best. You'll be amazing, I'll be meeting you soon.**_ "A baby?" He asked, looking at his wife, unshed tears in his hazel eyes. His emotions over having an offspring, starting to get the best of him.

"It was the logical explanation as to why I have been feeling sick one second and totally fine the next, and why my breasts have been tender," she told him. "My Doctor confirmed it yesterday, and I really wanted to find a cute way to tell you," she smiled, placing her hand on his hand closest to her.

"Do you know how far along?" He asked, taking all of the information in.

"Nine weeks," she replied, placing her free hand on her stomach. "That's what I'm doing with the cards," she shrugged, pushing a card over to him.

"You mean to tell me, that I can't say a word until Christmas Eve?" He asked, having read over the card.

"It's safest to wait until the second trimester, and I figured we could host the Christmas party here, since everyone takes turns hosting it," she said in way of an explanation. Last year it had been Seb and Mikki that hosted the party.

"It would only be right," he nodded, glancing back to the items in the box. "This isn't some cruel joke is it?" He asked.

"I would never pull a joke like this. I don't see anything funny about pulling a joke like that," she told him. "We're going to be parents in 7 months time."

"Are we even ready for this?" He asked, licking his lips. Don't get him wrong, he wanted kids, but they had yet to sit down and have a serious conversation about kids and the right timing for them. They further they ever said about kids are that they wanted them, when the time is right. He knows how far off track plans go, so he really shouldn't be as shocked or as surprised as he is over his wife being with a child.

"Is any parent ready for kids?" She asked in a way of an answer. "The most planned out pregnancy can take a person off guard. I honestly believe that no parent is fully ready for a baby," she told him. "We can do this," she softly told him.

"Yeah?" He questioned, a smile slowly taking over his face. Being a great uncle was one thing and not something one could compare to being a father. It is one adventure he is starting to think won't be such a bad one. "You're serious about waiting until Christmas Eve, to tell our friends and family?" He double checked. He didn't know if he could wait a little over two months to tell anyone.

"Very serious," she nodded. "So much can happen in the first trimester, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, if we happen to have a miscarriage," she explained, knowing the risks were higher in the first trimester. "If a misunderstanding were to happen, I wouldn't want them to feel the pain we're going to be dealing with. It's best to hold off," she assured him.

"Yeah," he responded, taking his hand from hers to lay it against her stomach. "It's surreal to know," he whispered.

"You don't have to tell me," she replied, turning back to the task at hand. "This does mean you have to actually finish cleaning out the spare room closest to ours for the nursery," she told him.

"We've got time," he chuckled, 7 months was a while away.

"Not only do we need to clean the room out but get it set up into the nursery, babe," she told him. "And it may seem like we have a lot of time on our hands before this one," she started to say, placing her hand on her stomach, "is here, but the next 7 months is going to go by fast," she informed him. "Ask my brother or even ask Seb and Mikki," she tacked on.

"I'll wait until we share our news," he smirked. "Any views on how to go about telling them the news?" He asked, playing with the onesie before him.

"Other than Jeff, no," she said shaking her head. "I want to do the same thing I did here for you for Jeff, maybe find little shirts for Ember, Jasper and Jett," she shared.

"I like that," he smiled getting up. "I'm going to take a shower," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Do join me when you're done here, it's not like I can knock you up now," he teased. Onyx swatting him.

* * *

Over the weeks, they slowly got the room they were going to use as a nursery cleaned out, what they didn't want they donated, as they saw no need for it to sit around collecting dust, when someone else would enjoy it much like they had when they first bought the items. Along with cleaning the room out, they took a little time to check out baby furniture, finding the set they liked the best. For the color and theme of the nursery, it was going to be gender neutral, as they were still very much undecided about if they wanted to find out the gender of the baby or wait.

"But think of all the fun ways to reveal what we are having," she protested weakly. As fun as the gender reveals are to watch, she didn't know if she really wanted to partake in any of them, as she felt it best to wait until the baby is born to know whether it be a boy or a girl.

"I could care less about the reveals," Clint told her, flipping through a baby name book. "It would be easy to pick a name out and buy stuff if we knew for sure," he offered. To him it really didn't matter one way or the other, it would be easier to buy and prepare for their little one, if they were to find out, but that didn't mean they had too know.

"That is true," she nodded. "But we can pick a boy name and a girl names," she told him. "And there is enough clothes and toys and what not we can buy that is gender neutral," she tacked on. "And we can have our choice of car seat," she said, showing him the internet page she is looking at, that has a variety of choices of car seats for sale. "We don't need one that is pink, blue, green or even purple," she told him. "The safest one is the only one I care about having," she stated.

"I am with you on that, babe," he replied, scrolling down some. "The Mickey Mouse one is cute," he laughed. Who didn't like the cartoon mouse?

"It would make for a good laugh, considering," she smiled. "I know we can't have it both ways," she sighed. "But I feel like we should wait," she shared.

"Then we wait," he told her.

"But…" she started to say.

"No, babe," he laughed, leaning over to kiss what she wanted to say away. "We'll wait," he told her. "Now how do you feel about the name Emerson?" He asked.

"It's cute," she smiled. "And I do want a more unique name for our little one," she shared. She was blessed with a more unique name, and she wanted that for her child, as she didn't want her kids to be given a name that a bunch of kids in their classes through the ages would share a name with, as they could be a headache to deal with. "Finley is a pretty name as well," she commented.

"I don't know about that name babe," he commented not to keen on the name of Finley. "What about Justice or Davis?" He questioned.

"Justice Finley has a pretty ring to it, if we have a boy," she commented.

"I actually like that name," he nodded. "We can agree that we have one name down?" He asked.

"Yep," she smiled. "Now what's a name that goes with Emerson?" She asked, opening a new tab to look up girl names, while Clint looked through the baby book, in his hands. "Soleil is pretty. Emerson Soleil," she smiled.

"What about Emerson Blaine?" He smirked, holding back his laughter at his pregnant wife.

"You would stroke Blaine's ego like that?" She questioned, turning to look at him, her eyes wide, her lips curving into a smile.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't have a fondness for the man, but he was there for you in your time of need over the years, that is something that I can appreciate," he easily explained. "I don't have a problem in honoring him for that reason alone," he shared.

"You would be okay with that?" She smiled. She wouldn't use a name he wasn't comfortable with. They needed to be on the same page when naming their unborn child.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't okay with the name," he told her. "I know everything that you've had with him is long over with and that you needed him when you felt like you had no one, he is your best friend," he stated.

"I think someone likes Blaine, more than he lets on," she teased, nudging him gently with her elbow.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he grumbled out. "I'm not signing up to be buddies with him or anything like that, but I can tolerate him," he said. "And I know what he means to you," he stressed. "So I am okay with using the name Blaine in our child's name," he stated.

"Thank you, baby," she said, leaning into kiss his cheek lightly. "Mind checking on dinner?" She asked, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"Of course, babe," he laughed, getting up. He left the baby name book on the coffee table; all of his intentions were to come back and keep looking for a name he liked better than the rest. "Want anything while I am up and in the kitchen?" He asked.

"Some green olives and the cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving the other day," she responded with.

They had spent Thanksgiving at Matt and Harlow's place, enjoying the friendly atmosphere around them. It took a lot not to blurt out they were with child, when she found herself eating more than she really should have eaten. They had to play off the comments made as they couldn't give away to the playfully banter actually being real. It also gave them the perfect chance to hand out their little save the date cards for Christmas Eve dinner at their place.

"Coming right up, babe," he told her, walking to the kitchen to check on the dinner in the Crockpot before getting the half jar of green olives and small container holding the cranberry sauce, grabbing a fork, not bothering with a plate, as she is the only one to eat either one of them, as he isn't a big fan of either of them. "Are we certain on the whole godparent situation?" He asked, handing her the items in his hand, moving the laptop for her, to take a look at what she was looking at, to see if he liked anything on the page.

"As hard as the choice was to make, I thought we were both okay on the choice we made?" She asked, glancing at him, while opening the jar of olives.

"Just wanted to make sure before ordering the stuff we need to make that reveal," he smiled, opening a new tab to go into their bookmarks to open the pages needed, making sure his wife could see as well, not wanting to mess the order up.

* * *

"Daddy, can we open presents now?" Ember whined, looking at the presents that sat under the tree at her Aunt and Uncle's place, as they tortured her, wanting to be ripped open.

"Sweetie, we went over this, we're not going to open them until after we eat," he told his daughter for what felt like the millionth time. She'd been on him the second they walked through the door.

"Actually," Clint said, getting up to dig under the tree. "We have a present you can open," he shared, pulling the five presents out that he needed.

Onyx and Clint talked about it that morning, while getting their house ready the rest of the way for their group of friends and family. Clint being in charge of the ham and the turkey for dinner that night. They decided that after everyone showed up they would let the select few open the presents so they could share their news, as they couldn't take the waiting any longer, they wanted their friends to know.

"Why don't the rest of us get to open presents?" Matt questioned, watching his friend hand out the presents to Jeff, Sugar, Ember and placing the small wrapped packages in front of the almost two year old twin boys.

"Because you weren't special enough," Clint smirked, sitting down by his wife, who rolled her eyes at his response to his friend.

" _ **Best Uncle? Check. Cool Uncle? Maybe! Awesome Godfather?**_ " Jeff read the saying on the little dark blue onesie in the box, next to the godfather question there was one little box to check off; the only option being yes. "Are you really pregnant?" He asked, looking from the onesie to his sister, back again.

"Keep looking," Onyx urged him, knowing that there was still another piece to his present. A framed photo of their latest scan, having the feeling that they would need the proof. As they were ready for the whole are you sure you're not faking the pregnancy jokes, they were expected.

"We just want to make sure, what with the way you decided to fool us a few years ago," Mikki pointed out.

"A bit old for those jokes, don't ya think?" Clint asked, looking over at his friends.

"Maybe," Seb shrugged. "But you guys are the ones that thought it would be okay. How are we supposed to trust you now?" He asked with a smirk.

"You can shove it," Clint laughed, shaking his head.

"Do you know what you're having?" Sugar asked, looking at the little pink onesie in her box that simply read, _**Awesome Aunts make Awesome Godmother's. Will you be mine?**_ "How far along are you?"

"Nope," Onyx replied shaking her head. "We've talked the subject to death, and we have decided that we are going to wait for our little bundle of joy to be here," she shared, rubbing her slightly round tummy, one that she could still hide under her loose fitting clothes. "Almost five months."

"What about a baby shower?" Harlow asked. "What are we supposed to get you?" She asked with a slight laugh.

"We've got enough stuff, and things that we need to bring baby home," Onyx shared. "And any one of you is more than welcome to throw a baby shower, but I request that you wait until after he or she is here, so the guest of honor can attend, and that way you all know what to get," she told them.

"Otherwise, gender neutral isn't going anywhere," Clint smirked. "Ember, sweetie, how do you like your shirt?" He asked, seeing that she had slipped her bright pink shirt on over the red velvet dress her mother dressed her in.

"Can't you tell?" She questioned in a duh tone. "I"m going to be the bestest cousin ever!" She exclaimed. Her shirt read, **_Will you be my best friend, cousin?_** Within the group of friends, she already considered the other kids her cousins, but this time it would be a little different.

"Yeah, Uncle Clint, can't you tell," Onyx teased her husband. "I know you will be sweetie," Onyx smiled at her niece.

The little shirts they got for Jett and Jasper said the same thing. Jett's shirt was a light red color, whereas Jasper's shirt was green. The saying, B _ **ound by love, trouble here we come.**_ "Ain't that the truth," Sugar laughed.

"That it is," Jeff laughed. "And do you really think that I would pass up being your little one's godfather?" He asked. That isn't something that he would pass up for anything. "I'm honored that you picked me," he smiled.

"It was a hard choice to make, but we couldn't find a better person than you and Sugar," Onyx smiled. Her brother and sister-in-law made the perfect choice to her in the end, as not only did she have this special relationship with them over the last two years, but Clint did as well with Jeff being his best friend since they were kids.

"I'm with my husband; I'll be honored to be the godmother to my niece or nephew," she smiled.

"As hurt as I am by you not picking me," Blaine smirked. "I'm happy that you're getting the family you have always wanted, Onyx. But can we eat now?" He asked with a laugh.

"Can I rethink my answer?" Clint asked softly, kissing his wife's temple.

"Nope," she smiled sweetly at him.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked, looking at her brother.

"Nothing," Clint laughed shaking his head. "It is something, but you'll know after the baby is born if the baby is the right gender," he clarified the best he could without giving away one of the names they had picked out.

"Baby names, huh?" Mikki questioned. "Are you really going to make us wait until the baby comes in four months time?"

"Yes, we are," Onyx smirked. "Now let's eat because I'm starving. I am eating for two now," she said, making her husband help her up from the couch.

"Yes, mama," Clint smiled, pulling his wife in for a small kiss.

Chatter was made throughout dinner, sharing laughs. And all of them sharing the most helpfully parenting tips with them, as they all knew that they have different views of how to parent that works best for them and they weren't about to tear each other down over it not being the way they do it. Onyx and Clint were thankful for the tips they were given, but they too knew that any of those ways wouldn't work best for them, and they would have to figure out the parenting style best for them. It was nice knowing that they didn't have to take this scary jump into parenthood alone without knowing what exactly they were doing.

They decided to open presents before having dessert giving their stomachs a chance to recover from all the food they had eaten. They called it a night with kids falling asleep where they sat on the floor playing with their toys and a very exhausted Onyx falling asleep on her husband's shoulder.

* * *

"Do I really have to be here?" Clint whined, turning the car off at Mikki and Seb's place. "I thought these things were for woman and not men," he commented, unfastening his seat-belt.

"They're also normally held before you give birth," she smiled sweetly at him. "Our friends are in there and I'm sure the guys don't want to be here as much as you don't, but they are sucking it up for our baby. Don't you think you can do the same?" She asked him sweetly. She was loosing her patience, as she had been up most the night with their newborn. The small nap she had before leaving the house, not doing enough for her.

"Okay, okay, I'll get our peanut," he told her, climbing out of the car.

"That's all I ask," she replied, pushing her door open to climb out of the car as well, grabbing the diaper bag from the backseat of the car, walking to the door to knock, Clint meeting her on the front porch as they waited for someone to open the door for them.

"Come in," Seb ushered the new parents. They smiled at him entering the house, slipping their shoes off, to enter the house fully. Clint setting the car seat down on the coffee table to unbuckle her from her restraints to pull her out of her car seat.

"Are we going to learn her full name?" Jeff asked, easily taking his little niece from his friend.

"It is only fair," Clint said looking to his wife. After their little girl was born, they refused to tell any of their friends the full name they picked out for their little bundle.

"It is fair," she nodded. "But I don't want anyone to be getting a big head or a massive ego once we share our baby girl's name," she warned looking around the room, seeing that they had been the last ones to arrive.

"I'll let you do the honor," Clint smirked, knowing what would be coming their way, as a certain someone would be getting a big ego out of the name they choose. It still didn't make him want to reconsider the name they picked out, because it meant more to his wife than she lets on it does.

"Thanks for that, babe," she laughed. "Tierney Blaine," she shared, casting a look over at her best friend to see his reaction.

"You named your daughter after me?" He asked a smirk spreading across his face. "And here I thought you didn't like me, Clint," he commented.

"I tolerate you for my wife," he made clear. "And you mean a lot to her and that is something that I can respect," he stated.

"And I can respect that," Blaine said. "Now let me see my namesake," he smiled, getting up to take the little baby from her uncle.

"I thought his ego would have been bigger," Clint commented, pulling his wife down to sit on his lap on the couch.

"You don't give him enough credit," Onyx whispered, kissing his temple. She knew how Blaine came off to people, especially to her husband, but that wasn't the guy he truly is, as she has seen just how vulnerable he really is underneath it all. How sweet and caring he can be to the ones he loves.

Sharing laughs with those closest to her, gave her everything she thought she lost along the way. A family. Looking back on the last two years of her life, gave her everything she ever wanted. She no longer saw it as this burden or question herself why she agreed to Clint's plans to begin with, because sitting here, she has come to see that agreeing to be his fake fiance will always be the best thing she can ever agree to doing.


End file.
